Thursday 12 May 2016

Brazil impeachment: Dilma Rousseff condemns 'coup' and 'farce'


Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff has condemned the move to impeach her as a "coup" and a "farce", denying she has committed any crimes.
She was addressing the nation on TV for the first time since senators voted overnight to suspend her for budgetary violations and put her on trial.
Ms Rousseff vowed to fight the "injustice" by all legal means.
Vice-President Michel Temer has now officially taken over as interim leader and has appointed a team.
Respected conservative Henrique Meirelles, who headed the central bank under leftist ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, becomes finance minister.
Mr Temer will serve while Ms Rousseff's trial takes place. It may last up to 180 days, which would mean Ms Rousseff would be suspended during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, which start on 5 August.
Senators had voted to suspend her by 55 votes to 22 after an all-night session that lasted more than 20 hours.
Ms Rousseff is accused of illegally manipulating finances to hide a growing public deficit ahead of her re-election in 2014.

'Fraudulent'

In her TV speech, flanked by ministers at the presidential palace, Mr Rousseff said that she may have made mistakes but had committed no crimes, adding: "I did not violate budgetary laws."
She said: "What is at stake is respect for the ballot box, the sovereign will of the Brazilian people and the constitution."

Analysis: BBC South America correspondent Wyre Davies

It must have been a difficult moment for Brazil's first female president as she faced the massed ranks of the press. She must know, despite her protestations, that there is little chance of her emerging from a six-month impeachment trial to resume her presidency.
Surrounded by friends and colleagues, she talked emotionally about "hurt", "betrayal" and her "innocence". She left with her head held high, walking out of the presidential palace for the last time to greet loyal supporters.
Ms Rousseff always points out that 53 million people voted for her when she was re-elected and what is happening now is a betrayal of the democratic process. But what she consistently fails to appreciate is how that support has evaporated as Brazil's economy nose-dived and her government became embroiled in a corruption scandal.
Michel Temer might enjoy the support of Congress but many Brazilians will look upon him as a usurper. Brazil is a divided country, as it has not been for many years. Removing a president whose fall from grace has been spectacular will not heal this division overnight.

Branding the process "fraudulent" and saying her government was "undergoing sabotage", she vowed to fight the charges against her and said she was confident she would be found innocent.
Ms Rousseff, 68, accused the opposition of leading the impeachment because they had vehemently opposed all the advances she and her predecessor, Lula, had made for the Brazilian poor and lower middle classes.
After her speech she left the presidential palace and shook hands with supporters lining the pathway.
In another speech outside she told supporters she could feel their "love and energy" on what she called a "tragic" day for the country.


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