Without Citing JBS, Temer Records Video in Which He Calls for Criminals to Be Punished

06/19/2017 - 11h50

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DANIEL CARVALHO

THAIS ARBEX

FROM BRASÍLIA

President Temer recorded a video on Sunday (the 18th) in which he called for criminals to be punished without specifically citing businessman Joesley Batista, a partner at the J&F group.

The video was recorded in the midst of expectations that the president will be charged by the PGR (Prosecutor General of the Republic), and on the eve of an official four-day trip to Russia and Norway.

The video, which is about four minutes long, will be released Monday afternoon (the 19th) on social media.

The video officially addresses the president's trip. He will travel late Monday morning and will attempt to further develop economic relations with the two countries.

According to sources who helped with the recording, Temer mentions encounters with businessmen as well as European leaders and promises to implement reforms which, according to his administration, dismantle privileges.

Also, when it comes to the political crisis that his administration is immersed in, the president positioned himself in an indirect fashion.

Folha found out that, in the video, Temer says that he will do everything in his power to punish those who deserve punishment.

The statement is an allusion to Joesley Batista, who recorded a conversation with the president and, more recently, stated in an interview for the magazine "Época", which was released on Friday (the 16th), that the president is the "boss" of a criminal organization.

In the interview, the businessman said that "Temer is the boss of Congress's Orcrim [an abbreviated form in Portuguese of "criminal organization"]. Temer, Eduardo, Geddel, Henrique [Alves], [Eliseu] Padilha and Moreira [Franco]. That's their organization. Today, those who haven't been arrested yet are in the administration. They're a very dangerous group. One mustn't argue with them".

On Sunday (the 17th), Temer said in a statement that on Monday (the 19th) he would press charges against Mr. Batista and that the administration would "not be kept from investigating" the crimes committed by Joesley. The president's lawyers are in charge of bringing charges against the businessman.

"His lies will come to light and due compensation will be awarded for the damages the lies have caused, not only regarding the President of the Republic, but Brazil itself. This administration will not be kept from following up on and holding Mr. Joesley Batista responsible for all the crimes he has committed both before and after his testimony", read the Saturday statement.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

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