Brazilian party demands corruption investigation into chief of staff

Brazil's Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL) demanded Friday the country's prosecutor-general open an investigation into corruption allegations against the government's chief of staff, Eliseu Padilha.

According to the Ultimo Segundo news portal, the PSOL request demands the investigation look into whether Padilha received 10 million reais (3.2 million U.S. dollars) from the Brazilian construction company, Odebrecht, in 2014.

Padilha was named as a suspect by former Odebrecht executive, Claudio Melo Filho, who said the politician negotiated illicit campaign donations from Odebrecht to his Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB).

The minister was also named in corruption allegations made by Jose Yunes, a former advisor and friend of President Michel Temer.

According to local media reports, Yunes said Padilha was a mediator in the distribution of illicit funds to electoral campaigns.

In their statement, PSOL lawmakers asked the the prosecutor-general "to open new investigation with the needed speed to verify any irregularity."

In his testimony from last December, Melo Filho said he had taken part in a 2014 dinner at the Jaburu Palace, where Temer lived as vice-president.

At the dinner Temer requested financial help for the PMDB for the 2014 electoral campaign, according to Melo Filho.

Melo Filho claimed that one of these payments was made to Yunes' law firm in Sao Paulo via Padilha as an intermediary. His remarks were corroborated in February by Yunes himself.

In late February, Padilha requested a leave of absence from his government responsibilities citing medical reasons. Endi