Brazil - Brazzil Mag - Brazil's Minister Resigns After US$ 98,000 Shopping Spree with Corporate Card

Matilde Ribeiro, Brazil's minister of racial equality, resigned Friday, February 1st, amid charges she had abused her government-issued corporate credit card. Ribeiro told a news conference that she had "committed a mistake" in using the card to pay for a chauffeured car, restaurant meals, hotels and purchases in a duty free shop in 2007.

She did not reveal the cost of her purchases, but state media said she had spent US$ 98,000 and speculated the government was about to discipline her.

Ribeiro said she tendered her resignation to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during a meeting at the presidential palace Friday morning.

"I have a very busy agenda," she said in an effort to explain her use of the credit card in restaurants. "I leave one meeting to go into another, and sometimes I hold meetings during lunch."

Following her resignation the Brazilian government announced new stiffer rules for the use of corporate credit cards from the Executive. Apparently the incident made President Lula furious because his administration since 2003 has been riddled by a reiteration of corruption scandals forcing the dismissal of several ministers, top advisors and members of Congress.

Former minister Ribeiro stirred controversy in March 2007, when she told the BBC that anti-white racism by blacks is justified.

"It is not racism when a black person lashes out against a white person," the BBC quoted her as saying. She later said her comments were taken out of context.

Brazil, one of the most racially diverse nations in the world, formed the Special Secretariat for the Promotion of Racial Equality Policies in 2003, appointing Ribeiro, a researcher and political activist, as its director.

by there own words blacks cant be WHAT !!!!!!!!!!
written by forrest allen brown, 2008-02-04 17:28:36

ANY ALL ALL PEOPLE CAN BE AND ARE RACIST

only the color of the skin deams what type of racial sulr you can get away with

whites cant say nothing without loseing there jobs or pay .
blacks can say what ever and claim that they cant be as they are black
and it is a white crime .

i read on the net that alains are claming the US are racist by not wanting them in
the US

and calling them alains insted of migrant workers
shows how much all people from the US are racists

""committed a mistake" Smile
written by ch.c., 2008-02-04 18:16:04

Sure...because she was picked !!!!!
Laugh....laugh....laugh

This said, no doubt this is only the tip of the iceber or what is going on in the goverment, congressmen and senators.

Who can finally prove me wrong when I continuously write that Brazilians are cheaters, liars and corrupted through their teeths and roots ?????
Cheating, lying, hiding and Corruption are YOUR favorite passtime, way more than....futbbol or even Carnival !!!!
A Daily Lifestyle. A way to think and breeze that are in your genes.
No one will ever stop you and you certainly have no intention to change but rather increase and grow where you truly
excel !!!!!!

...
written by João da Silva, 2008-02-04 21:59:38

I expected this ministry to be extinguished , but unfortunately Lula did not take this decision.

Hey Forrest, how many cabinet secretaries do you have in the good ole U.S.? Clue me in, please.

BTW, are you in Tongas or elsewhere?

micronisa
written by forrest allen brown, 2008-02-05 10:53:13

well joao it use to be 86 but that number has grown as goverment has grown .will look into it for you
and yes they are as big of crooks as the one in the above artical.

would it not be nice when they are caught or finish there tenure all members of
goverment would have to a single place in the world and have to stay there forever
and steel from each other all the money they stoled from every one else

" a single place in the world and have to stay there forever "
written by ch.c., 2008-02-05 19:25:00

But...but...but....this is what Brazilian politicians crooks do.
They stay in Brazil.
The only place on earth where they get TOTAL IMPUNITY !!!!

smilies/cheesy.gif