Hello. This week’s issue: The most important facts of the week. The new face of Operation Car Wash. Pork becomes the most prolific meat sector in Brazil.
The week in review
- Corruption. Former President Michel Temer was arrested on Thursday in the latest Operation Car Wash-related probe, making him the 2nd former president jailed by the anti-corruption task force. Mr. Temer faces a total of 10 inquiries; the one which led to his arrest is connected to a scheme to siphon money from a state-owned nuclear power company. Mr. Temer and his group allegedly pocketed BRL 1.8bn over several decades.
- Pension reform 1. The government presented its bill to overhaul the military pension system. President Bolsonaro’s proposal creates savings of BRL 97bn in 10 years—but was accompanied by a bill creating a system of bonuses for the military, which reduces the decade-long savings to only BRL 10.4bn.
- Pension reform 2. The privileges for the military, coupled with the president’s lack of commitment to the reform, have soured relations between the government and House Speaker Rodrigo Maia—a constant target of social media attacks by Carlos Bolsonaro, son of the president. Mr. Maia said he won’t pilot congressional negotiations anymore, and advised the president...