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Brazil lower house speaker faces expulsion process

Xinhua, December 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Brazilian House of Representatives' Ethics Committee decided on Tuesday to start an expulsion process against the speaker of the lower house Eduardo Cunha.

The committee has been trying to vote whether to start the expulsion process for weeks, but Cunha managed to change the process's rapporteur, which caused delays. But on Tuesday, the Ethics Committee voted 11-9 for the process toward removing him.

Cunha was accused of participating in the Petrobras corruption scheme, taking million-dollar bribes to favor private companies in public contracts. He was also accused of abusing his power to obstruct investigations.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Federal Police carried out search warrants for Cunha's houses in Rio and Brasilia and his office in the congress. Along with Cunha, a number of other politicians, including current and former ministers, were investigated as well.

Cunha will be notified of the Ethics Committee's decision and he will have 10 days to present his defense. Endi