[War] Brazil: "Cleaning House pt 1"

[Ian Martell]

"Cleaning House"

President Jaoa Taveres

Brazil

20 January 2013



The city of Brasilia was still in the throws of celebration as the four men filed into the President's office in the ?. It was Inauguration Day, and a decade ago the festivities would have been long over, however President da Silva (the one before last) had been extremely popular with the people and since his inauguration the day became something of a major celebration. However it was the people who benefited from the festivities, for those who had just been ushered into office, there was work to do.

 

Jaoa Taveres, President of Brasil, Juca to his friends, undid his bow tie and carefully removed his sash of office and lay it on the desk. He was going to have to ask the protocol secretary what he was supposed to do with it in situations like this. Likely not just lay it on his desk, but what she didn't know didn't hurt her tonight.

 

He walked to the sideboard while the others got settled. "A drink anyone?" he asked. 

 

Jorge das Chagas, the new attorney general shook his head. "No thank you Juca, I think I've had enough for one night."

 

"Water then?" asked the President.

 

"Please," replied Chagas.

 

"And you two gentlemen?" Jaoa asked his Chief of Staff and Vice President.

 

"We're not so reserved, are we Jaime?" said Victor Tourhino with a smile to the Chief of Staff.

 

"Not at all sir," Jamie Nacamura the Jaoa's best friend and Chief of Staff replied.

 

Chagas looked at them and shrugged. "Well one more won't hurt, will it?"

 

Tourhino smiled. "That's the spirit, you only get named Attorney General once, and believe me you won't have much of a chance to get drunk once things get going."

 

Joao had poured the drinks and came and passed them around before sitting with his own. "No, we most definitely won't," he agreed with his vice president and sipped his drink. "Which is why we're all in here instead of out at the party."

 

The men turned to look at their President and Jaoa had to fight the urge to look behind him to see if there was someone else commanding their attention like that. But no, it was him. He offered up a silent prayer and hoped he'd read the signs and this was what God wanted for him and he was not horribly out of place. He took another sip of his drink and set it down. Perhaps Jorge had been right at the start, no more of that tonight, it could end up being a crutch. 

 

"I called you all from the celebrations to discuss implementation of our anti-corruption plan as well as the plans for dealing with violence in the favelas."

Jaoa could feel his companions lose the joviality of the last few moments, these were hardly small plans.

 

"So we're starting at once then?" asked Chagas. As Attorney General, he was going to be right in the middle of both plans. 

 

"Yes, we left it out of the inauguration speech to make people think we had second thoughts about it, but we are moving ahead," Jamie supplied.

 

"When?" asked Chagas.

 

"We will be presenting the new anti-corruption legislation at the next session of the House of Deputies along with the authorization for funds for an anti-corruption task force."

 

Chagas nodded. "I'll let my people know."

 

Jamie nodded. "I'll have the legislative office contact your chief of staff, you will have the full support of the Administration."

 

"Thank you," Chagas says. "So we're are going ahead with proposing a two-million real fine for taking or soliciting bribes or kickbacks?"

 

"Yes," Jaoa replied. 

 

"My legislative director, says that there's no way we'll get the two-million dollar fine through, but likely something in the hundreds of thousands given the concern about the issue with the public right now."

 

Jamie nodded. "Our legislative department tells us the same thing," he reported. "And we're still going ahead with the amnesty."

 

"I was going to ask, so anyone who reports themselves to the anti-corruption commission gets a walk on past instances of corruption that might be uncovered?" asked Chagas.

 

"Yes, that's right," replied Jaime.

 

"I still don't like it, letting those people still work for this government."

 

"They'll be flagged so we can keep an eye on them," assured Jamie. "Besides, if we fired everyone who took a bribe, we'd need a whole new civil service."

 

"I never took a bribe," replied Tourhino. 

 

"Nor did I, but Jamie was exaggerating," soothed the President.

 

"Sorry sir, I didn't mean to suggest you were taking bribes, everyone here, is here exactly because they've been honest civil servants."

 

Tourhino nodded. "Yes, well let's all remember that."

 

"So amnesty is in, what about those willing to work with us to expose their collegues?" asked Chagas.

 

"Still in," said Jaoa. "We'll need their help rooting out the ones who won't come forward."

 

Chagas nodded. "This won't be popular in the civil service."

 

Jaoa smiled. "Don't worry I've spoken with the Presidential Guard, you're protection detail will be coming from them."

 

"With respect Juca, I'd prefer to keep the Federal Police protection that comes with the job, if we replace them, what are we saying to the people about the police?"

 

"That they're as crooked as the Amazon," replied Tourhino. "And it's the truth."

 

Jaoa nodded. "It is true, and some of your own guards may be implicated in the investigation, are you sure you want them guarding you, and your family?"

 

Chagas chewed his lip and stared at his drink. "Yes, I am going to need their respect if this is going to work, so yes, I'll keep them. But thank you for the offer Juca."

 

Tourhino raised his glass. "Brave man."

 

Chagas smiled uncertainly and raised his drink back. "Just doing my job."

 

Jaoa knew right then he'd made the right choice for Attorney General, and hoped to god he would live long enough to make a difference.

 

TBC

 

Actions:

 

  1.. Taveres Administration proposes new legislation upping the penalty for corruption (taking bribes or kickbacks, and soliciting bribes and kickbacks) to 2million Brazilian reals at the next meeting of the House of Deputies. As well as asking for funding to create an anti-corruption task force, which will examine corruption in the civil service. 
  2.. Upon creation, the task force, under the Attorney General, will be authorized to offer amnesty for anyone who reports themselves for corruption provided they provide details of all incidents they were involved in. In return they will incur no criminal penalties, and the report won't go on their personnel record. Those who are willing to work with the task force to expose others may be compensated on a case by case basis. 
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