Operation Car Wash

You've probably heard about the Operation Car Wash. Well, we all talk about it here, especially yesterday (4 March), when the Federal Police made a massive operation to detain ex-president Lula for interrogation.

It's scheduled for March 13 (my birthday) a large manifestation across Brazil; What will probably happen is that the protesters come into confrontation with government supporters (they call this operation of "political repression"), and this will lead to several subsequent confrontations and there will be an social upheaval.

So before the social upheaval, I think I could explain what is happening in Brazil.

Operation Car Wash is the largest corruption investigation in Brazil. It started investigating a network of money changers who were active in several states and found the existence of a vast corruption scheme at Petrobras, involving politicians from various parties and the largest contractors in the country.

Until now, there are 21 prosecutors conducting the investigation; 150 inquiries; 39 criminal charges; 5 civil actions; 494 people and companies under investigation; 57 politicians under investigation; 156 defendants; 119 arrests made; 28 people still in prison.

Authorities started investigating in 2009, a network of money changers connected to Alberto Youssef, who jogged billions reais in Brazil and abroad using front companies, accounts in tax havens and fictitious contracts.

Youssef had business with a former director of Petrobras (Paulo Roberto Costa), large contractors and other suppliers of Petrobras. Both were arrested in March 2014, then corruption in Petrobras became the main focus of investigation.

In August 2014, after being arrested for the second time, Costa agreed to cooperate with the investigation in exchange for reduced sentence. He said other directors of Petrobras were charging bribes and repassed money to politicians. Youssef also turned informer weeks later.

The denunciations gave boost to investigations. In November 2014, police arrested executives from nine contractors accused of involvement in the scheme. In June 2015, the operation arrived to both the country's largest contractors: Odebrecht and Andrade Gutierrez. In late November, the banker André Esteves (owner of BTG) was arrested.

In March 2015, the operation reached politicians. In August, was arrested former minister José Dirceu, who received payments from companies under investigation. At the end of the year were arrested Senator Delcídio do Amaral (Workers' Party) and the farmer José Carlos Bumlai, friend of Lula. The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Eduardo Cunha (Brazilian Democratic Movement Party) and other leaders of the party were targeted by the Federal Police.

Contractors who decided to cooperate with investigations into corruption at Petrobras showed similar things in other sectors: electric, as the nuclear power plant Angra 3; World Cup (reform of the Maracanã stadium), and transport such as North-South railway. In July 2015, the retired admiral Othon Luiz Pinheiro da Silva, who chaired the Eletronuclear, was arrested on suspicion of corruption.

In the ongoing proceedings, federal prosecutors estimated that the loss is R$ 2.1 billions (over than US$ 500 millions)

Progressive Party have 28 deputies and former deputies and 3 senators under investigation; Brazilian Democratic Movement Party have 3 deputies and former deputies, 5 senators and 3 governors and former governors under investigation; Workers' Party have 3 deputies and former deputies, 4 senators, 1 governor, 3 ministers and former ministers and 1 treasurer under investigation; Brazilian Socialist Party have 1 senator and 1 deputy under investigation; Brazilian Labour Party have 1 senator under investigation; Solidarity Party have 1 former deputy under investigation; There 1 former member of the Workers' Party (former deputy) under investigation.

Source: http://arte.folha.uo...acao-lava-jato/