Supreme Court Justice Lifts President Temer's Bank Secrecy

03/06/2018 - 11h08

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GUSTAVO URIBE

FROM BRASÍLIA

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice, Luís Roberto Barroso, lifted President Michel Temer's bank secrecy in the trail of the investigation into potential irregularities he may have committed in the issuance of a provisional decree for the port sector.

On Monday (the 5th), Temer announced that he had asked the Central Bank to provide access to bank statements from his accounts that had had their secrecy lifted by Barroso.

This is the first time that a Brazilian President has had his financial records opened up by a judicial order during his term in office. According to what Folha has learned, the period that secrecy has been lifted is from January 2013 to June of 2017.

"The President will be providing the press with complete access to these documents. He has no concerns regarding any information contained in his bank accounts", an official communique informed.

With this judicial reversal, presidential aids and counselors from the legal area have started discussing the possibility of appealing the Justice's decision.

Temer, however, is unsure whether an appeal is the best legal strategy, since such an action could send a message to the public that he has something to hide from judicial authorities.

Behind the scenes, the Planalto Palace believes that there are no grounds for or justification to support the decision.

According to sources, the President has been complaining about mounting legal escalation against him ever since the idea of his running for re-election this year has been floated as a possibility.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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