Brazil's justice minister leaves post

Brazil's presidential palace says Justice Minister Jose Eduardo Cardozo is leaving his post. It follows complaints about his tough probe of political corruption.

A news release issued says that Cardozo will leave the ministry to become attorney general a post which is not involved with criminal investigations and prosecutions. Cardozo is being replaced by Bahia state prosecutor Wellington Cesar Lima e Silva.

A group of police chiefs has expressed "extreme concern" at Cardozo's departure, arguing it's a result of political pressure to limit their investigations. Officials in the ruling Workers' Party have complained about Cardozo's refusal to limit the scope of a corruption investigation that has implicated dozens of senior politicians as well as some of the country's top business executives.