Brazil's Senate impeachment commission recommends removing Rousseff
Xinhua, August 5, 2016 Adjust font size:
Brazil's Senate impeachment commission on Thursday recommended the full Senate remove suspended President Dilma Rousseff in an impeachment trial for alleged fiscal irregularities.
The report, compiled by Senator Antonio Anastasia, from the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), received 14 votes in favor, five against and one abstention by the commission members, who are in charge of looking into the case against Rousseff.
On Aug. 9, the document will be sent to the entire Senate for a vote. Should the commission report be endorsed by a simple majority (41 votes out of 81), Rousseff will face a full impeachment trial later in August.
The report said Rousseff committed a "crime against the Constitution," by delaying government payments to banks and asking for additional loans from public banks without seeking Congressional approval.
The irregularities allegedly committed by Rousseff were linked to the deep economic crisis currently affecting Brazil, it added.
"The fiscal manipulations used to expand spending have led to a loss of trust among economic players, investors and the general population. Today, Brazil has lost its investment grade rating from the main credit rating agencies," said the report.
Rousseff was suspended from the presidency on May 12 for up to 180 days, with Vice-president Michel Temer taking over in an interim capacity.
Should Rousseff be permanently impeached, Temer will complete her mandate until late 2018 and Rousseff will be banned from public office for eight years. Endit