Brazilian President Michael Temer seeks to reassure ambassadors after meat industry skewered in corruption probe
Federal police issued 38 arrest warrants involving the giant meat-packers JBS and BRF in a blow to Brazil’s reputation as one of the world’s leading meat producers
Brazil’s president met on Sunday with dozens of ambassadors from countries that import Brazilian meat, seeking to minimise damage from a corruption probe that alleges meat-packers bribed inspectors to keep rotten meat on the market.
Speaking at the presidential palace, President Michel Temer told the diplomats that Brazil’s “government wants to reiterate its confidence in the quality of our national product”.
Temer set up the meeting following inquiries from the European Union and China over the scandal. Federal police issued 38 arrest warrants involving the giant meat-packers JBS and BRF in a blow to Brazil’s reputation as one of the world’s leading meat producers.
The president minimised the investigation, saying that only 33 of the 11,000 inspectors at the Agriculture Ministry are being investigated for allegedly taking bribes to overlook meat-packers using chemicals to improve the appearance and smell of expired meat.
Some of the bad meat was exported to Europe, investigators have said. Temer told the ambassadors that the Agriculture Ministry would soon release a list of countries that could have received rotten meat as well as the name of the meat-packers responsible.
Temer said a task force would be created to speed up the investigation of the plants that were targeted. In a statement, his office also said it wanted to reiterate that packing plants are open to inspection by nations that buy Brazilian meats. Officials said Brazil exports meat to about 150 countries.
Wrapping up the meeting, the president invited the ambassadors for dinner at a traditional Brazilian barbecue restaurant in Brasilia.
Earlier, Temer met with his agriculture and foreign commerce ministers as well as meatpacking industry leaders to talk about impact of the case.
Authorities say that out of the 4,800 meatpacking facilities subject to federal inspection in Brazil, 21 are under investigation, including units of the two big companies JBS and BRF.
Federal police also said Friday the two-year investigation had determined that part of the money allegedly paid by JBS and BRF was channeled to two of Brazil’s major political parties, including Temer’s.
