Brazil’s Senate votes to put President Dilma Rousseff on impeachment trial

Vice President Michel Temer will become acting president during her trial.

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff speaks during a ceremony that announced the opening of new federal universities at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, May 9, 2016. The acting speaker of the lower house of Brazil's Congress on Monday annulled last month's vote on impeachment, delaying and complicating the process that was widely expected to see Rousseff suspended later this week. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff speaks during a ceremony (Source: AP Photo)

The Brazilian Senate voted on Thursday in favour of putting President Dilma Rousseff on impeachment trial for breaking budget laws by 55 votes to 22.

When officially notified later on Thursday morning, Brazil’s first woman president will be suspended, ending 13 years of rule by the leftist Workers Party, and Vice-President Michel Temer will become acting president during her trial.

In the meantime, starting Thursday, Temer was to take over as interim president of Latin America’s biggest country — ending 13 years of rule by Rousseff’s leftist Workers’ Party. Temer, from the center-right PMDB party, was preparing to announce a new government and says his priority is to address Brazil’s worst recession in decades and end the paralysis gripping Congress during the battle over Rousseff.

[related-post]

Story continues below this ad

A onetime Marxist guerrilla tortured under the country’s military dictatorship in the 1970s, Rousseff has denounced the impeachment drive as a coup and vows to fight on during the trial. Brazilian media reported she would be officially notified of the vote’s result at 10:00 am (1300 GMT) and would make a statement to the nation.

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

WATCH THE INDIAN EXPRESS NEWS PLAY LIST

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

India dismisses NATO chief’s claim of ‘Delhi now on phone with Moscow’ as ‘baseless’

India27 min ago

India denies NATO chief's claim that US tariffs on Russian oil are pushing PM Modi to seek clarification from Putin on Ukraine strategy. MEA calls statement "factually incorrect and baseless," urges NATO to take more responsibility. Trump's tariffs on India have led to Modi seeking clarification from Putin, says Rutte. Modi and Putin have discussed resolving the conflict peacefully.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS