Deputy Abi-Ackel was the redactor (relator) [in Portuguese, the person who writes a final report] for the Parliamentary Investigative Commission on Vote Buying (Comissão Parlamentar Mista de Inquérito (CPMI) da Compra de Votos).

He delivered his final report at the end of last week wherein he dismissed the possibility of systematic payments being made to members of Congress.

However, his report did admit that some Brazilian congressmen and officials in some political parties had received "illegal financial advantages."

Abi-Ackel, who belongs to the PP party of Minas Gerais state, declared that it was not possible to be sure if any payments were made in exchange for votes on bills the government was interested in.

According to his report, the CPI's investigation found that businessman Marcos Valério was involved in payments made to cover campaign expenses in 2002 - at all levels of government, from the presidency down.

"Most of the payments began some five months after the campaign which leads most people to believe that the money was being used to pay for campaign expenses," said Abi-Ackel's report.

Abi-Ackel's conclusion led the opposition and quite a few Brazilians to say that once again Brazil had let a big scandal "acabar em pizza" (end up in pizza). The Brazilian expression is a reference to a Brazil's perceived habit of fostering impunity.

(Published Brazzil Magazine, November 21, 2005)
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