Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
Brazilian President Michel Temer spent Sunday reassuring dozens of foreign ambassadors that his nation’s meat products are safe to eat, after a corruption investigation revealed several of his country’s meatpackers were bribing inspectors to allow rotten meat to stay on the market. “The Brazilian government reiterates its confidence in the quality of a national product that has won over consumers and obtained the approval of the most rigorous markets,” Temer told ambassadors from Europe, the United States, and China on Sunday, the BBC reported. Brazil is one of the world’s top meat producers. More than 30 people were arrested Friday after federal police raided several meat-packing plants as part of a two-year investigation. At least 30 high-ranking civil servants were suspended for allegedly letting unsafe meat products pass inspections. European Union Ambassador Joao Cravinho said Sunday that he wants “complete, urgent clarifications from the agriculture ministry” on the situation. Temer stressed that only a small number of the country’s meat producers were facing scrutiny, however. “Only 21 units out of 4,837 in Brazil subject to government inspection are facing allegations of irregularities. And only six of them have exported in the past 60 days,” he said.