Brazil begins marathon impeachment debate

SBS World News Radio: Brazilian senators have started a marathon session of sittings to vote on whether to impeach President Dilma Rousseff for breaching budget laws.

Brazil begins marathon impeachment debateBrazil begins marathon impeachment debate

Brazil begins marathon impeachment debate

The debate is expected to last for days, while any consequent trial could last months.

As Brazil's Congress begins deliberations about the future of the country's President, on the streets of Rio De Janeiro locals are just hoping the political turmoil will end soon.

Taxi driver Moises Pacheco wants Dilma Rousseff ousted so Brazil can grow again because the country has stopped.

"Look at my hair salon - it's empty," says barber Amara Neves. "You walk around and you see how many stores just closed down."

Despite an eleventh-hour bid by the country's Lower House Speaker to annul an earlier impeachment move, the debate proceeded with senators expected to again vote to suspend the President.

The Progressive Party's Ana Amelia urged her colleagues to ensure the country's laws were respected by all, with the President accused of doctoring budget figures.

"This event and this moment in history are showing once again, that no one, not even a president of the Republic, not even a vice president, not even the president of the senate, not even a speaker of the lower house, not even a governor, not even a mayor, not even a senator, not even a deputy, are above the law."

Opposition senator Ataides Oliviera is blaming former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for the rise of Dilma Rousseff.

"Lula! I want to talk to you because you must be watching us. I want to tell you that all of this disaster is your fault Lula! You put this creature in to govern the country. It was you Lula!"

But Workers Party senator Paulo Paim told Congress replacing Dilma Rousseff with vice-president Michel Temer was not the answer.

"It will not solve the crisis, the crisis will only be solved by elections. That's why I say, that the ideal for Brazil would be for both the President and the Vice President to call for elections, together with the (mayoral) elections on October 2."

Whatever happens, the United States says Brazil's democracy can withstand any challenges.

Obama Administration spokesman Josh Earnest says the U-S will stand behind its South American friend.

"Brazil has a system of laws, it's a mature democracy, and it has an established system for resolving these political conflicts inside their country. So there's no denying that this is a challenging time for the nation of Brazil and for the government officials that are trying to lead that country. Brazil is under the international spotlight. The attention of the world will be focused on Brazil later this summer when they host the Olympic Games."

But with Dilma Rousseff facing a 180-day trial should the Senate vote for her impeachment, it's unlikely the country's political and financial crisis will be resolved by the time the dignitaries arrive.

 






Share
3 min read

Published


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world