Brazil’s Federal Police have opened an investigation into allegations of corruption in the Education Ministry, a police source told Reuters on Friday, potentially incorporating to force on President Jair Bolsonaro in advance of Oct elections.
The probe comes after regional media noted that two pastors had allegedly secured preferential procedure for funding requests from their municipalities in return for bribes.
Later on on Friday, the Federal Police launched another probe of the position of Education Minister Milton Ribeiro in this situation, in accordance to studies from regional media.
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The Federal Police did not affirm the opening of the investigations.
Newspaper Folha de S.Paulo printed this 7 days audio extracts of Ribeiro’s showing to affirm that funding applications from the pastors would be offered precedence. He was quoted as indicating the funding decisions aligned with the wishes of Bolsonaro.
Reuters was unable to independently validate the recording.
Ribeiro denied any wrongdoing and claimed that he experienced invited investigation into the subject adhering to an anonymous tip he obtained.
The presidential push business did not promptly react to a ask for for comment. The Federal Police declined to comment.
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The source, who asked for anonymity because the probe had not been formally announced, explained the investigation was not concentrating on Ribeiro.
The scandal comes as Bolsonaro lags in polls ahead of this year’s presidential election, trailing previous leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro was elected in 2018 on a legislation and get system, vowing to wipe corruption out of Brazilian politics, but his phrase has been dogged by graft allegations against his family users and allies.
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