VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Brazil's popular justice minister has resigned from President Jair Bolsonaro's government, accusing him of political interference.

 

Sergio Moro, a former judge who oversaw the country's biggest anti-corruption probe, quit after the president fired the federal police chief.

 

Moro said Bolsonaro demanded someone who would provide him with direct intelligence.

 

In a public address, the far-right president called the claims "baseless".

 

"The appointment is mine, the prerogative is mine and the day I have to submit to any of my subordinates I cease to be president of the republic,"  Bolsonaro said flanked by most of his cabinet in the presidential palace in Brasília.

 

But Brazil's public prosecutor Augusto Aras asked the Supreme Court to allow an investigation into Mr Moro's allegations against the president.

 

The dismissal of federal police chief Mauricio Valeixo was announced, with no further details, in the official gazette on Friday.

 

On Thursday, Moro had threatened to resign if Valeixo - his ally - were dismissed, but then said he would stay if he were allowed to choose a replacement.

 

Earlier this month, the president sacked his Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta for his response to the coronavirus pandemic. The minister had advocated social distancing, which Bolsonaro has scorned.

 

Fighting corruption was a central issue for Jair Bolsonaro in his 2018 presidential campaign. (BBC)