Joesley Batista, chairman of JBS, caused a major political uproar last month when he handed to authorities an audio recording in which Temer appeared to condone the payment of hush money to a former lawmaker now in prison.

“It’s the country’s largest and most dangerous criminal organization. And the president is its leader,” Batista said in an in-depth interview with the Epoca weekly published Saturday.

“Those who aren’t in prison today are in the Planalto presidential palace. They are very dangerous people. I didn’t have the courage to confront them.”