Brazil’s President, Dilma Rousseff has been dealt a further blow as her impeachment becomes more of a reality. She is facing impeachment over allegations that she manipulated Brazil’s budget to get reelected in 2014.
Dilma Rousseff has become unpopular thanks to Brazil’s worst recession in years and a corruption scandal at Petrobas.
Rousseff has tried to stave off impeachment proceedings since last year but two key parties have pulled out of her coalition government and pledged to vote in favor of her impeachment. A congressional committee also voted to begin impeachment proceedings against her before the whole of the lower house voted with a two third majority in favor of her impeachment.
With 342 votes needed for the vote to go to Brazil’s Senate, pro impeachment lawmakers secured 367 votes. Senate is expected to pass a vote in May and a simple majority is all that’s required for Rousseff’s impeachment.
A Senate vote in favor of her impeachment will see her stand trial at the Upper house and she will only be permanently removed if she’s found guilty.
68 year old Dilma Rousseff has denied the charges leveled against her and has termed her opponents “coup plotters”. Ironically, the speaker of Brazil’s lower house, Eduardo Cunha is also facing allegations of corruption for taking millions of dollars in bribes.