Brazil Senate rejects bingo ban

Brazil Senate rejects bingo ban

BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) -- Brazil's Senate dealt a major political blow to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday when it rejected a government ban on the nation's popular bingo parlors as unconstitutional.

The bingo vote was seen as a test of Lula's Congressional support, after the image of his center-left government was tarnished by an influence-peddling scandal involving a former government aide and a gambling boss with bingo interests.

The rejection of the presidential decree, which had been imposed in show of anti-corruption determination, was the Lula's worst defeat in Congress during his 16 months in office and the second government setback in just a few hours.

"It shows Lula is not in control there," said David Fleischer, a political analyst with the University of Brasilia.

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http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/05/05/brazil.bingo.reut/