Corruption in Brazil
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Corruption in Brazil exists on all levels of society from the top echelons of political power to the smallest municipalities. Operation Car Wash showed central government members using the prerogatives of their public office for rent-seeking activities, ranging from political support to siphoning funds from state-owned corporation for personal gain. The Mensalão scandal for example used taxpayer funds to pay monthly allowances to members of congress from other political parties in return for their support and votes in congress. Politicians also used the state-owned and state-run oil company Petrobras to raise hundreds of millions of reais for political campaigns and personal enrichment.
Pero Vaz de Caminha reads to commander Pedro Álvares Cabral the letter that would be sent to king Manuel I of Portugal.
Eduardo Cunha, at the time president of the Chamber of Deputies, receiving a "shower" of fake dollars with his face in it in a form of protest against corruption
Mensalão scandal
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The Mensalão scandal was a major parliamentary alleged vote-buying scandal by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration that threatened to bring down his government in 2005. Mensalão is a neologism, a variant of the word for "big monthly payment".
Roberto Jefferson was the whistleblower of the alleged corruption scheme.
José Dirceu was the Chief of Staff of Brazil when the scandal broke. He was dropped after Jefferson described Dirceu as the ringleader of a plot to hand out illegal monthly payments to congressmen.
José Genoino was found guilty of bribery by the Supreme Federal Court for his involvement in the Mensalão scandal.