In an extraordinary escalation of a corruption probe that is upending politics and just about everything else in Latin America's largest nation, on Friday Brazil's top prosecutor formally accused President Michel Temer of corruption and obstruction of justice. The formal accusations are the latest revelations related to a secretly recorded audio that purportedly captured Temer endorsing the paying of hush money to an ex-lawmaker. BRAZIL'S TEMER: 'I WON'T RESIGN' AMID CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONSHis administration has began questioning both the legality and content of the recording, an apparent strategy. "President Michel Temer does not believe in the veracity of the declarations" in the recording, according to a statement from his office. The statement also noted that the person who made the recording, JBS meat-packing company executive Joesley Batista, is under investigation and thus was "taking advantage" of the situation.

Source: Fox News May 19, 2017 18:42 UTC