Worker's Party leader detained in Sao Paulo's airport with $100,000 hidden in his underpants
July 11, 2005
São Paulo, Brazil – On Friday, Brazilian police officers detained a leader of the Workers' Party at Airport of Congonhas in Sao Paulo. He tried to board carrying R$200,000 (83,744.90 USD) and US $100,000 undeclared in cash. The money was hidden in his bag and in his intimate clothes.
The man who was detained is José Adalberto Vieira da Silva, 39, Organization secretary of the Workers' Party from Ceará and the adviser of state deputy José Nobre Guimarães. Guimarães is the brother of José Genoino, President of the Workers' Party, the ruling party in Brazil.
José Adalberto, was detained on Friday, at about 11 a.m.(local time) when he was boarding to Fortaleza. Authorities detected through the airport's X-rays equipment that a great quantity of money was inside Adalberto's bag. After the bag was opened, the officers discovered R$ 200,000 (83,744.90 USD) in cash. The authorities took José Adalberto to another room in the airport. After searching in his clothing, police officers discovered U$ 100,000 hidden in Adalberto's underpants. The authorities charged José Adalberto for boarding without notification with more that R$ 10,000 (4,187.25 USD), which is forbidden by Brazilian laws.
Adalberto is arrested in São Paulo, waiting for his trial. The deputy José Nobre Guimarães denied any involvement in this case and he fired José Adalberto Vieira da Silva.
Workers' Party President resigns
José Genoino, the Worker's Party President, resigned on Saturday (9). Mr Tarso Genro, the current Minister of Education, leaved the ministery and he assumed as the new Worker's Party President.
José Genoino is the third official to resign since the Brazilian deputy Roberto Jefferson began to give details about a alleged huge corruption scheme envolving politicians from the government, the Worker's Party, the Brazilian Agency of Intelligence (Abin) and public and private enterprises. On July 5, the party's treasurer Delubio Soares and the general-secretary Silvio Pereira had resigned.