Marcos Valério

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Marcos Valério Fernandes de Souza (born January 29, 1961) is a Brazilian businessman in the field of public relations and a key figure in the mensalão scandal. He is the owner of two communications firms, DNA and SMP&B.

He became the focus of the scandal in June 2005 when congressman Roberto Jefferson (PTB) made his initial allegations regarding monthly payments by the ruling party to other Brazilian congressman.

He is accused of being the chief operator of the scheme. According to Jefferson in an interview with the Folha de São Paulo, Valério helped the treasurer of the Brazilian Workers Party (PT) Delúbio Soares with the distribution of monthly payments of R$ 30 thousand to congressmen in allied parties. Initially, he denied the allegations.

His former secretary Fernanda Karina Somaggio then claimed that he had maintained frequent contact with congressmen and members of the PT and had prepared substantial withdrawals mirroring the allegations.

In 2004, in the second year of the government of President Lula, Valério's two firms had had substantial contracts with the government, whose total value are disputed.

[edit] Early life

The son of Aidê Fernandes de Souza and Adeliro Francisco de Souza, he was born on January 29, 1961 in Curvelo, Minas Gerais. He spent his early life in the northeast of Belo Horizonte.

His professional career began in the state bank of Minas Gerais, known as Bemge (bought by Banco Itaú, in 1998) He worked at the bank for twenty years and there met his future wife Renilda whom he married on August 1, 1986. He had a son who died of cancer at the age of 6. He also has a daughter Nathália and another son João Vítor.

He entered the business of public relations in 1996 with a partnership with Clésio Andrade, Cristiano Paz and Ramon Cardoso with the public relations and advertising firm SMP&B. Later, he bought Andrade's stake and also bought shares of another agency, DNA.