Brazilian president shortens trip abroad after arrest of former congressman

RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazilian President Michel Temer decided on Wednesday to return from a trip to Japan, after a political ally, former Head of House Eduardo Cunha, was arrested.

Though the presidential office did not clarify why Temer decided to do so, the announcement was made minutes after Cunha was arrested.

Cunha is accused of taking massive bribes, trying to obstruct corruption investigations and laundering the bribe money in several accounts in Switzerland.

The former congressman is a high-profile member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), which Temer also belongs to. Cunha is also regarded as the main political articulator of the impeachment of former president Dilma Rousseff.

The former representative, expelled from congress in September, was regarded as one of the top influential people in Brazil's political arena.