Timetable set for Rousseff impeachment trial

The impeachment commission of the Brazilian Senate approved on Wednesday a new timeline for the impeachment trial of suspended President Dilma Rousseff, which will be held at the end of August.

According to the new timeline, Rousseff will have until July 6 to provide any evidence and present her defence to the Senate, including any personal appearances.

After this, the commission's rapporteur, Senator Antonio Anastasia, will begin the second phase of the process. He will be given time to gather all the elements that may prove or not the existence of any crime. These will be presented to the impeachment commission on Aug. 4 and to the full Senate on Aug. 9.

Should the Senate accept the evidence presented by a simple majority vote, it will then carry out a full vote to impeach Rousseff or not within two weeks.

The final date of this vote will be defined by the Supreme Court, but would be set to take place between Aug. 22 and Aug. 26, according to this timeline.

A two-thirds majority (54 senators) is needed to find Rousseff guilty. This would see the suspended president formerly removed from office and unable to hold any public office for eight years.

Rousseff was suspended by the Senate on May 11 for up to 180 days, being accused of suspected fiscal irregularities. Enditem