Image provided by Brazil's Presidency shows Brazil's President Michel Temer delivering a speech during the ceremony of ratification of the Paris Agreement (2015) on climate change, in Brasilia, Brazil, on Sept. 12, 2016. (Xinhua/Beto Barata/Bazil's Presidency)
RIO DE JANEIRO, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Members of the coalition of Brazilian President Michel Temer have been trying to convince Temer to step down following allegations he obstructed justice in the country's biggest corruption scandal, local TV network Globonews reported Friday.
Temer's allies understand the president's service could be unsustainable, and try to convince him that stepping down would be a less traumatic option for transition, the report said.
Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported Wednesday that Temer was caught in a tape endorsing Joesley Batista, owner of meatpacking company JBS, to pay bribes to a once-powerful politician jailed for corruption.
In the recording, Batista mentioned having paid bribes to Eduardo Cunha, the imprisoned former speaker of Brazil's lower house of congress, so that Cunha would not speak anything against Batista and JBS. Temer nodded in agreement that Batista should keep Cunha on his side.
Cunha was sentenced to 15 years and 4 months imprisonment for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion.
In addition, in several occasions during the 40-minute-long recording, Batista admitted to pay bribes to judges and prosecutors, and Temer simply agreed with him.
Temer, who is adamant that he will not resign, called a press conference Thursday to deny any rumors of leaving office or any wrongdoings.
