Latin America | Brazil | Corruption

President Dilma Rousseff takes stand in Brazil impeachment trial

President Dilma Rousseff insisted Monday she had committed no crime and said she was proud that she'd been "faithful to my commitment to the nation." Brazil's post-Olympic high came to an end as Rousseff's impeachment trial began. Her remarks from the Senate floor suggested the suspended president had no intention of accepting the bid for her impeachment without a fight. "I'll plan and fight for democracy," she said. "I don't fight for my term for the power, but I fight for the democracy for truth and justice and the people of my country."

Latin America | Brazil | Corruption

Leaked Tapes Expose Coup Plot Against Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff

Source: Sputnik News

On Monday, Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo revealed a recording of a conversation between the country’s planning minister Romero Juca and Sergio Machado, former CEO of state-owned oil company Petrobras subsidiary Transperto, calling for a carefully orchestrated and arguably-legal coup against Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. The conversation centered on "changing" the government to "stop the bleeding" revealed by the so-called Car Wash investigation into Petrobras’ corrupt practices. Both men are being actively investigated for corruption under the probe, and Juca res

Latin America | Brazil | Corruption

Brazil’s Rousseff bows out defiantly after historic Senate vote to try her

Source: Reuters

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff bowed out defiantly on Thursday, suspended from office after the Senate voted to put her on trial for breaking budget laws in a historic decision brought on by a deep recession and a corruption scandal. Rousseff, in office since 2011, will be replaced by Vice President Michel Temer, for the duration of a Senate trial that could take up to six months. Rousseff, speaking shortly before she left Brasilia's Planalto presidential palace, said was notified of her suspension on Thursday morning. "I may have made mistakes but I did not commit any crime," Rou

International | Brazil | Corruption

Dilma Rousseff asks Brazil supreme court to delay impeachment process

Source: the guardian

Brazil’s embattled president, Dilma Rousseff, has resorted to the country’s supreme court in a last-ditch attempt to avert likely defeat in a criticalimpeachment vote in congress that could lead to her removal from office. Rousseff’s attorney general, José Eduardo Cardozo, asked the top court for an injunction to suspend Sunday’s lower house vote until the full court can rule on what he called procedural irregularities in the impeachment process. Rousseff, already struggling with Brazil’s worst economic crisis in decades and a historic corruption scandal, has lost support with

Latin America | Brazil | Corruption

Brazil Court Gives Another 15 Days For Dilma Rousseff to Explain Accounts

Source: NDTV

Brazil's highest accounting court gave another 15 days for President Dilma Rousseff to respond to accusations she doctored the government accounts last year to hide the deterioration of the country's finances. Judges of the Federal Accounts Court, known as the TCU, decided on Wednesday to give Rousseff more time in a case that her opponents believe could pave the way for her impeachment. Rousseff had already been granted 15 days on Aug 12 to respond to new findings made by court officials. A TCU prosecutor's allegation that Rousseff delayed 40 billion reais ($11.50 billion) in social

Latin America | Brazil | Corruption

Brazilians call for Rousseff’s impeachment

Source: The Japan Times

Massive protests calling for the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff have narrowed her options to fend off political and economic crises and will mean more turbulence for the nation in the months to come, but her ouster remains highly unlikely, analysts said Monday. Polls showed the Rousseff government’s popularity had already been cut in half before Sunday’s protests, compared to when she won re-election in October, and the sheer size of the challenge facing her was splashed across front pages of newspapers Monday with photos of the surprisingly huge crowds seeking her removal.

Latin America | Brazil | Corruption

Brazilian government in car wash to clean off sleaze

Source: News.com.au

BRAZIL is mired in the biggest corruption scandal it has ever faced, a story of bribery and money-laundering that threatens to destroy the government and drag the country to its knees. Senior state officials have been accused of involvement in a kickbacks scheme over contracts with national oil company, Petrobras. Prosecutors say a cartel of the country’s biggest construction firms has allegedly been fixing a significant proportion of the world’s seventh-largest economy for years. Operation Carwash, so-called because laundered funds were allegedly passed through a service st

Latin America | Brazil | Corruption

Forbes Investing Opinion: Why Impeaching Brazil’s President Dilma Is A Bad Idea

Source: Forbes

Fed up with corruption and crony capitalism, Brazilians have taken to the streets in protest for the past year and a half. Two weekends ago they were at it again. This time calling for president Dilma Rousseff’s head. According to a poll by MDA Pesquisa, 59.7% think she should be impeached. Let’s face it: the current corruption scandal surrounding state owned oil company Petrobras is a political and economic disaster. What did Dilma know about skimming skimming Petrobras profits for the campaigns of Workers’ Party politicians? She probably knew something. She was once Energy Minis