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Brazil court backs crackdown on illegal gold mining in
Amazon
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Brazil CB not worried about political leaning of new
directors
April 5 (Reuters) -
The latest in Latin American politics today:
U.S. sanctions former Haitian official for corruption
WASHINGTON - The U.S. imposed sanctions on the former president of Haiti's Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday for what it called "his extensive involvement in corruption," the Treasury Department said. The former official, Gary Bodeau, was involved in several plots aimed at influencing the outcome of Haitian political appointments, including facilitating and soliciting bribes worth millions of dollars, the department said.
Brazil court backs crackdown on illegal gold mining in Amazon
BRASILIA - A Supreme Court judge backed a government move to crack down on illegal gold mining in Brazil, suspending a legal practice of buyers accepting the origin of the precious metal with paper receipts based on the "good faith" of the seller. The injunction by Justice Gilmar Mendes gave the government 90 days to adopt a new regulatory framework for the gold trade to stop the sale of gold mined illegally from indigenous lands and other environmentally protected areas.
Brazil central bank not worried about political leaning of new directors BRASILIA - Brazil's central bank governor Roberto Campos Neto said on Wednesday that he is not concerned about whether the new directors of the bank have left-wing, right-wing, or center political beliefs but rather their technical qualifications for the positions. Speaking at an event hosted by the think tank Esfera Brasil, Campos Neto said that policymakers are attempting to smooth the interest rate cycle as much as possible to cause the least amount of damage to the economy, arguing that there are reasons for the current level of rates and that reducing them is a job that also involves the Finance Ministry and Congress.
(Compiled by Steven Grattan;
Editing by Bill Berkrot)
