Stuart Grudgings
The ethics commission of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff recommended on Wednesday that her labor minister step down over corruption allegations, raising pressure on him to become the seventh cabinet member to quit this year.
The explanations that Carlos Lupi had given to Congress and the commission over his alleged improper ties with non-governmental groups had been "inadequate" for a minister, commission president Sepulveda Pertence told reporters.
Lupi has denied media reports that accused his former aides of running a scheme in which the ministry demanded bribes from NGOs in exchange for public contracts. Another report said Lupi had a series of trips on a private plane paid for by a contractor at the ministry.
The commission's recommendation will make it more difficult for Rousseff to maintain her support for Lupi, who would be the sixth minister to quit over corruption allegations in her first year in office. Another minister quit after making disparaging remarks about his colleagues.
The resignations have been a distraction for Rousseff's government but have yet to harm the former leftist militant. She has even benefited in opinion polls from a perception she is being tough on corruption.
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