The chief of staff of former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was charged on Friday with corruption, money laundering, and racketeering. Jose Dirceu, who was a top Lula aide between 2003-2005, is one of the most important senior members of the ruling Workers' Party targeted by prosecutors in a massive corruption scandal involving a US$3 million kick-back scheme in the state-owned oil company Petrobras. teleSUR