Brazil: Former President Michel Temer Goes To Jail

While we tend to think of Watergate when it comes to political scandals, it pales in comparison to what Brazilians have seen through “Operation Car Wash” (better known as Lava Jato). The anti-corruption campaign has put a number of politicians behind bars for corruption and bribery, with the latest target involving Bolsonaro’s immediate predecessor to the Presidency, Michel Temer (his name is pronounced: “Michelle ” or “Mee-shell.” I’ll just leave that there.)

Via Terça Livre (link is in Portiguese; I’ve translated it):

Former President Michel Temer (MDB) was arrested Thursday morning (21) by the Lava Jato Task Force.

Dilma Roussef’s former deputy is facing ten charges on corruption. Temer was arrested in São Paulo and taken to Congonhas airport, where he was put onto a Federal Police plane headed to Rio de Janeiro.

The decision was made by Judge Marcelo Bretas, of the 7th Federal Criminal Court of Rio de Janeiro. Former Minister Moreira Franco was also arrested a short time later. The task force is on the streets in search of former civilian minister Eliseu Padilha, who is also facing charges.

Mr. Temer assumed the office of the Presidency on August 31st, 2016, after the Brazilian Congress impeached and removed Dilma Rouseff from office. While he was technically under a different political party, but such a thing doesn’t really matter much in Brazilian politics - most parties are socialists of different intensities and names.

Under the shadow of Lava Jato, he held the course on Dilma’s policies and was one of the world’s least popular politicians during his brief tenure. Due to that, he did not pursue re-election last year when Bolsonaro pulled off an incredible win.

Now Temer is facing time behind bars, although it is not clear yet just how much time he’ll see if convicted. Many Brazilians on Gab are now hoping that Lava Jato will lock Dilma up, replicating chants of “Lock Her Up!” That certainly could be possible, given how Lava Jato has gone so far.

This brings to mind our own Deep State Treason scandal in having a number of government agents working hard to invoke a coup here, leaking fake news and looking the other way in every instance of corruption and law breaking where a Democrat is involved.