Brazilian prosecutor says only 3 percent of corruption cases are punished

Brazilian prosecutor Deltan Dallagnol, who is among the taskforce of looking into the Petrobras corruption scheme, said on Wednesday that only 3 percent of corruption cases in the country are punished.

Testifying to Congress who is debating a package of laws to take action against corruption, Dallagnol said the laws would increase the penalization rate of corruption.

Corruption goes beyond any one political party of government, he said, adding that "a paradise of impunity is a paradise for corruption."

Dallagnol pointed to studies that show how those tempted by corrupt acts weight the "pros and cons" of the crime, and quickly see the "very low probability of punishment."

"In Brazil, the punishment of corruption is a joke in poor taste. Jail terms can be as low as two years ... we are left exposed to our enemies," he continued. "Corruption has become historic, endemic and systematic over recent decades."

Also on Wednesday, the interim president of the Chamber of Deputies, Waldir Maranhao, approved the creation of a special commission to study this package of anti-corruption laws.

This package, put together by the government of interim President Michel Temer, includes proposals to increase legal sentences for corrupt acts, create new instruments to seize embezzled money and create public awareness about how corruption works. Enditem