Date: Thursday, 27 Aug 1992 09:58:14 EST
From: <TPOWER@vma.cc.nd.edu>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.brazil
Subject:    Aprovado o relatorio da CPI

26 de agosto de 1992
        BRASILIA, Brazil (UPI) -- A special congressional committee opened the
way to an impeachment trail Wednesday when it overwhelmingly approved a
report charging President Fernando Collor knew about a massive
embezzlement scheme by advisors and accepted bribes.
        Oppostion lawmakers immediately after the vote announced they had
gathered the neccesary two-thirds majority of the Chamber of Deputies to
begin formal impeachment proceedings against Collor, claiming rogue
incumbent legislators had joined the movement to oust the president.
        Tasso Jereissati, president of the Brazilian Democratic Party, said
at least 337 of the 503 deputies were prepared to vote in favor of
Collor's impeachment, including members of the Christian Democratic
Party, the Liberal Front, Liberal and Democratic Labor Parties.
        Jereissati, following a meeting with leaders of eight opposition
parties, said five government-allied groups had joined the movement to
impeach Collor.
        Vice President Itamar Franco would assume the presidency if Collor is
forced out by congress.
        In spite of opposition claims, Sen. Ney Maranhoa, president of the
incumbent legislators, said 168 deputies would vote against the measure
-- enough to block the plea.
        Earlier in the day, the special congressional committee concluded
three months of investigation by approving its 359-page report by a vote
of 16-5.
        Under Brazilian constitutional law, the approval opens the way for
any citizen to request the lower parliamentary house begin impeachment
proceedings -- a plea expected to be filed the first week in September.
        The report said Collor, 43, ``permanently and during more than two
years received undue economic advantage,'' from his position.
        According to the document, Collor, his family and close associates
amassed $23 million in kickbacks from former campaign treasurer Paulo
Cesar Farias during the president's first two and a half years in
office.
        It alleged EPC Ltda., Farias' flagship company, ``grew in measure as
the political career of Collor de Mello advanced towards the presidency.
''
        Incumbent lawmakers downplayed the importance of the report.
        ``More important than the vote on the report is the vote that will
occur in the plenary'' session of the lower parliament house on whether
to start impeachment proceedings, incumbent lawmaker Jose Lourenco said.
        Lourenco predicted pro-Collor leglislators would ``have a majority in
congress and parliamentarians of the opposition will vote against a
possible impeachment trial against the president.''
        But opposition legislators Wednesday reiterated pleas for Collor's
resignation, a move they said would save the nation from a lengthy
impeachment process.
        ``President, make a grand gesture...Help Brazil, help yourself and
help all those who once thought this government could improve the
country. Resign, president,'' Senator Fernando Henrique Cardoso, leader
of the Social Democratic Party of Brazil, told members of the committee
before the vote.
        Cardoso warned that if Collor refuses to resign, ``there will be no
other way'' than to impeach him. ``At this point a vote for impeachment
is a vote for decency.''
        As the congressional committee approved the report, thousands of
Brazilians thronged the streets of major Brazilian cities for the third
day in a row demanding Collor resign or be impeached.
        Some 50,000 metal workers walked off their jobs for more than three
hours in the industrial heart of Sao Paulo, South America's largest
city, and marched through the city streets shouting for Collor's ouster.
        Meanwhile, thousands of students choked traffic in Sao Paulo, Rio de
Janeiro, Brasilia and other major cities, demanding Collor's ouster.
        President Collor, appearing on Argentine television in a satellite
interview Tuesday night, called the massive protests ``a sign of the
strength of democracy'' in Brazil and reiterated his plans to stay in
office.
        Collor has denied the charges against him -- originally made by his
younger brother, Pedro, in May.
        The presidential spokesman, Etevaldo Dias, said Collor neither
observed nor listened to the congressional committee vote, which was
broadcast live on Brazilian radio and television.
        Dias said the president was ``evaluating the country's political
situation'' in preparation for a national address he plans to give in
the coming days.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.brazil