Brazilian political parties call in prosecutors to investigate First Lady

Minority parties in Brazil’s lower house filed a request to the Federal Prosecution Office to investigate First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro for influence peddling. Accusations surfaced today that Mrs. Bolsonaro used her political clout in public bank Caixa Econômica Federal to favor a group of business owner friends with low-interest loans during the pandemic.

The complaint was revealed by Crusoé magazine on Friday, after reporters gained access to emails with names of business owners sent directly to Caixa from the office of the First Lady.

According to Crusoé, the influence-peddling scheme was the subject of an internal investigation in the public bank, which found a high volume of credit operations referred by a so-called “PEP” — or “politically exposed person.”

“Myself and leaders of other minority parties in the House have approached federal prosecutors so that they may investigate Michelle Bolsonaro for influence peddling,” said minority leader Marcelo Freixo, of the left-wing Socialism and Freedom Party.

Today’s revelations have reverberated around Brasília, with the center-left Workers’ Party reporting that it has filed a request for clarifications from Economy Minister Paulo Guedes and Caixa chairman Pedro Guimarães.