Meirelles Orders Banks

Brazil’s central bank President Henrique Meirelles ordered two banks to hand over documents sought by lawmakers investigating government corruption. State-owned Banco do Brasil and privately-owned Banco Rural have until July 19 to provide the congressional investigation with tax and banking records for advertising executive Marcos Valerio Fernandes de Souza and some of his 18 companies. Valerio, whose companies have advertising contracts with state-controlled companies such as Banco do Brasil, denied in congressional testimony last week he helped the governing Workers’ Party pay bribes to lawmakers in exchange for votes in congress.