Brazil Gets a New Chief Prosecutor

Last month Brazil's new chief prosecutor, Raquel Dodge, was sworn in, replacing the very high-profile Rodrigo Janot. From Janot she inherits a number of high profile cases, including one filed during his last days in office against Brazil's President, Michel Temer, on charges stemming from the huge "Operation Car Wash" scandal. (We've talked about Operation Car Wash before.) Dodge said in her inaugural address that "no one is above the law and that no one is below the law" and she stressed that Brazilians today “do not tolerate corruption and not only expect, but demand, results.” Still, she also talked about the need for greater "harmony" between branches of government, as aspect of her speech that the President praised. As a result of this and other commetns some are concerned that her tenure in office might lead to a slowdown in investigations connected with Operation Car Wash and other investigations of high ranking politicians. But others think she may simply be more discreet in her investigations, whicl still aggressively persuing anti corruption efforts. While she was nominated for the position by the president, she was chosen from a list of three prosecutors chosen by a vote of the National Association of Prosecutors. Dodge was reportedly the top choice in that selection process.

Since taking office there have been some moves on Operation Car Wash. She has put together her own team to take over that and other investigations. Since taking office she has asked the Supreme Court for permission to hear testimony from Temer and others connected with the charges filed by her predecessor.

Where her investigations go from here is an open question, but we here at Smith Brandon International have been, and will continue to, keep a close eye on Brazil and anti corruption developments there. We have special expertise in Brazil and it's one of the countries where we pay special attention. In fact our own Gene Smith recently commented on Dodge's appointment in a recent issue of the Latin America Adviser, which is published the the Inter-American Dialogue. If you are working in Brazil, or you are considering business there, give Smith Brandon a call. We can help you understand what to expect and help you navigate the political and legal landscape.