Brazilian President Temer faces new corruption charges

BRASILIA - 15 September 2017: Brazilian President Michel Temer was charged on Thursday with obstruction of justice and racketeering, the office of the prosecutor general said in a statement on its website. It will now be up to the lower house of Congress to vote on whether or not the president should stand trial before the Supreme Court.

The charge is related to the plea-bargain testimony by executives at the world's largest meatpacker, JBS SA. They have accused Temer of taking bribes in return for political favors and conspiring to stifle testimony that would implicate him. Temer has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Last month, the lower house rejected a prior corruption charge Temer faced, that he took bribes from JBS officials.