Brazil is one of the largest and most populous countries in the world, with a rich and diverse culture. However, the country has also been plagued by corruption for many years. Corruption is a major problem in Brazil, with politicians and other public officials often accused of embezzlement, fraud, and other corrupt activities. In this article, we will take a look at the top 10 corrupt politicians of Brazil.
Introduction
Corruption is a serious problem in Brazil, with billions of dollars being siphoned off from public funds each year. Corruption affects all aspects of Brazilian society, from healthcare and education to infrastructure and security. Despite the efforts of government officials and law enforcement agencies, corruption remains a major challenge for Brazil.
1. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, commonly known as Lula, is a former president of Brazil. He was accused of corruption in the Operation Car Wash scandal, which involved the embezzlement of millions of dollars from state-owned oil company Petrobras. Lula was found guilty of corruption in 2017 and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
2. Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Rousseff is another former president of Brazil who was implicated in the Operation Car Wash scandal. She was accused of accepting bribes from construction companies in exchange for contracts with Petrobras. Rousseff was impeached in 2016 and removed from office.
3. Michel Temer
Michel Temer was the president of Brazil from 2016 to 2018. He was accused of accepting bribes from the country’s largest meatpacking company, JBS. Temer was charged with corruption in 2017, but the charges were later dropped.
4. Eduardo Cunha
Eduardo Cunha was a prominent politician and former speaker of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies. He was accused of taking bribes from companies that wanted to secure contracts with Petrobras. Cunha was found guilty of corruption in 2017 and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
5. Paulo Maluf
Paulo Maluf is a former governor of São Paulo and a former member of the Brazilian Congress. He was accused of embezzlement and money laundering in a corruption scandal involving public works projects. Maluf was found guilty in 2017 and sentenced to 7 years in prison.
6. Sergio Cabral
Sergio Cabral was the governor of Rio de Janeiro from 2007 to 2014. He was accused of taking bribes from construction companies in exchange for contracts with the state government. Cabral was found guilty of corruption in 2017 and sentenced to 45 years in prison.
7. Antonio Palocci
Antonio Palocci is a former finance minister of Brazil. He was accused of accepting bribes from construction companies in exchange for contracts with Petrobras. Palocci was found guilty of corruption in 2018 and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
8. João Santana
João Santana is a political strategist who worked on several campaigns in Brazil, including the campaigns of Lula and Rousseff. He was accused of receiving bribes from construction companies in exchange for contracts with Petrobras. Santana was found guilty of corruption in 2018 and sentenced to 8 years in prison.
9. José Dirceu
José Dirceu is a former chief of staff to Lula. He was accused of accepting bribes from construction companies in exchange for contracts with Petrobras. Dirceu was found guilty of corruption in 2016 and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
10. Aécio Neves
Aécio Neves is a former senator and former presidential candidate of Brazil. He was accused of accepting bribes from JBS, the country’s largest meatpacking company. Neves was also recorded asking for bribes from JBS executives. He was found guilty of corruption in 2018 and sentenced to 10 years in prison.