Weekly Report - 24 February 2004

The government of President Lula da Silva has suffered a new wave of public embarrassment with the news that its recently dismissed congressional linkman, Waldomiro Diniz, had continued to have dealings with the gaming underworld after moving to the Planalto palace, and that another minister in Lula's first cabinet was involved in seeking funds from the `bankers' of illegal gambling for the campaign of yet another present minister.