BRASILIA, AUGUST 29, 2016 – Brazilian President, Dilma Rousseff, has defended her record in office against the country’s Senate during her impeachment trial on Monday.A report from the senate said that the president rejected the charges of corruption, and warned of a threat to the country’s democracy.
It said that the trial examined whether Rousseff was guilty of manipulating government accounts to obscure the country’s deteriorating budget situation during her 2014 re-election campaign.
It added that she was also accused of authorising lines of credit without congressional approval.
The report said that Rousseff, referencing the accusations, insisted that she did not commit a crime against her responsibility.
“Rousseff said further that the leftist Workers Party (PT) is facing a coup’’ it said.
The report said that a two-thirds majority of 54 votes in the 81-member senate was needed during the final debate and vote on Tuesday to remove the 68-year-old leader from office.
The impeachment of Rousseff, who was suspended in May to allow for an investigation of allegations, would also disqualify her from office for eight years.
Earlier this month, the senate voted 59-21 to indict Rousseff, suggesting the odds are heavily against her.
Vice President Michel Temer, a member of the centre-right Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement (PMDB), then took over the presidency on an interim basis.
Critics said that Rousseff’s exit would end more than 13 years of government by the Workers Party, which were marked by rise of Brazil as a global economic power under former president Luis da Silva.
They noted that a severe economic crisis and several corruption scandals had since plunged the country into disrepute.
They added that the rumours and controversy surrounding the impeachment had divided the country and damaged Brazil’s image abroad.
