Prosecutor: Brazil government is suffocating Federal Police

SAO PAULO – A prosecutor says government budget cuts could affect the Federal Police investigation into the country’s biggest corruption scandal.

Carlos Fernando dos Santos Lima is involved in the probe into billions of dollars in inflated construction contracts and kickbacks to politicians that has landed dozens of the country’s elite and politicians in jail.

The federal police have announced they will temporarily stop issuing passports because of a lack of sufficient funds.

Lima says on his Facebook page Wednesday that the lack of funds shows that President Michel Temer’s government is “suffocating” the Federal Police. He says other investigations across the country could be affected.

The president’s office and the federal police had no immediate comment.