By Christopher Specht ‘19
Two years ago, a corruption scandal involving Brazil’s state run oil company Petrobras shocked the nation. The Petrobras scandal, widely considered one of the most blatant and exorbitant acts of corruption in a modern democracy, centered around construction executives coordinating bids on Petrobras contracts to overcharge the company, then bribing both friendly government officials and conspirators within Petrobras. This scandal likely reaches the top within Brazil’s government; current Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff was Brazil’s minister of energy during most of the scandal, and she also served on Petrobras’s board until her election. At best, her oversight was poor and neglectful; at worst, she is a conspirator of the highest order.On March 4th, Brazilian authorities raided the home of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s former president and political mentor to Rousseff. Silva was questioned for about three hours, then released. It is unknown what information Silva did or did not divulge, or whether Silva will face any charges. This raid is especially important because of the connection between Rousseff and Silva. Any charges against Silva will directly affect Rousseff and Brazil’s government as a whole.As concerning as the Petrobras scandal is on its own, the broader implications for Brazil and its government are much worse. For the Brazilian people, the scandal is just another grievance against the government, which spent billions to host the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016 while millions starved and suffered from poverty in Brazil’s infamous favelas. The spending on the World Cup alone caused massive riots in the streets, and anti-government protests about Petrobras have only been intensifying. One can only wonder if and when the protests and riots reach a point where Brazil’s government cannot control them. The Brazilian government’s stability is precarious at best, and at worst, charges against Silva could be the final straw that sends the people into a chaotic, anti-government fervor.Sources:http://www.vox.com/2016/3/4/11161792/petrobras-brazil-lulahttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35725415http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/03/lula-detained/472278/