Ex-President Lula's disciplinary dispute against federal prosecutor upheld
Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. 
The National Council of the Office of the Public Prosecutor has filed a disciplinary proceeding against Federal Prosecutor Valtan Timbó Mendes Furtado, to investigate him for misconduct in opening an influence peddling case against former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Timbó brought an investigation against Lula earlier this month, when acting as the prosecutor presiding over the corruption probe known as Operation Car Wash, in substitution for the prosecutor in charge of the case, Mirella de Carvalho Aguiar, who was away on vacation. Lula's defense claim that Timbó misused his authority to “interfere with the preliminary proceedings” of Prosecutor Aguiar, who had not opened any investigations against the former president because she was awaiting information from Lula's lawyers.
According to the proceeding initiated by Timbó, the former president allegedly “obtained financial gains from Odebrecht construction company in exchange for exerting influence over Brazilian and foreign public officials, most notably government officials from the Dominican Republic and Cuba – in the latter case, regarding construction projects funded by the Brazilian Development Bank [BNDES]” He also requested copies of Operation Car Wash records relating to projects executed abroad directly or indirectly funded by BNDES or in connection with Lula.
The former president's attorneys brought a disciplinary complaint against Prosecutor Timbó for opening the probe. The prosecutor will now have ten days to present his defense. ed by Agência Brasil, he said he had not been notified of the proceeding and declined to comment.
Translated by Mayra Borges
Fonte: Ex-President Lula's disciplinary dispute against federal prosecutor upheld
