The never-ending story

You know the government´s worried when the president takes to the airwaves. That happened here the night before last when Lula made an appearance on national TV to condemn corruption.

More than two weeks on after arriving in Brazil, still this story won´t end. The PT treasurer has been hauled through the press, the president´s chief of staff has resigned and now Lula announces political reforms and invites the PMDB (a big catch all party) to join the government.

Jut once I would like to open the newspaper here or turn the TV on without having yet more accusations of payments for votes gracing the page or screen.

But it has generated some good material. The most memorable cartoon for me was a few weeks ago in the JB with the politicians portrayed hanging on the street corner, holding their handbags. A ker crawler drives up and asks ´How much is it, congressman?´ To which the politician replies ´30,000 [the amount they are supposed to have received] but I won´t kiss.´