Leader faces formal charges

Brazil’s top prosecutor is accusing President Michel Temer of corruption and obstruction of justice, according to an investigation released by the country’s supreme court yesterday.

Attorney general Rodrigo Janot’s charges dramatically increase the threat to drive the president out of office and represent an extraordinary escalation of a corruption probe.

The formal accusations are the latest revelations related to a secretly recorded audio that purportedly captured Mr Temer endorsing the paying of hush money to an ex-politician now serving a 15year prison sentence for corruption.

In a plea bargain by the same man who recorded Mr Temer, released as part of the document dump by the Supreme Tribunal Federal,

“President Temer does not believe in the veracity of declarations”

the president is accused of taking $1.5million (£1.15million) in bribes. Mr Janot says Mr Temer and senator Aecio Neves have tried to derail the “Car Wash” probe via legislative means and by influencing police investigators.

“In this way, there is evidence of possibly committing the crime of obstructing justice,” Mr Janot wrote.

Mr Temer’s administration began questioning the legality and content of the recording.

“President Michel Temer does not believe in the veracity of the declarations” in the recording, according to a statement from his office.

At least eight pieces of proposed legislation to impeach Mr Temer have been submitted in congress, and a steady stream of people from many walks of life are continuing to call for him to step down.