Brazil's former culture minister accuses president of influence peddling

Brazil's former Culture Minister Marcelo Calero, who resigned last week, told the federal police that President Michel Temer pressured him to favor a cabinet colleague in a personal matter.

Government Secretary Geddel Vieira Lima owned an apartment in a building to be built in his hometown of Salvador, Bahia state. But the construction of the building is being embargoed by the Historical Patrimony Protection Agency (Iphan) under the Culture Ministry as it is located at a historical preservation area.

According to Calero, Lima pressured him to authorize the construction of the building. After that, Temer reportedly summoned Calero to a meeting in the government headquarters and told him that he was creating problems in the cabinet with Iphan's stance. Temer then ordered him to find a way for the matter to be presented to the attorney general's office.

Calero said that since he could not report Lima's pressure to the president himself, he could only resign.

Temer's office denied the accusation. The president said he tried only to find a "technical solution" when suggesting that the matter be solved by the attorney general's office.

Despite the denouncement against Lima, Temer said earlier this week that Lima will stay in his position. Endi