President Rousseff: Fate to be determined 11 May

Dilma Rousseff days in the Brazilian presidency appear numbered after a special commission of the Brazilian Senate voted on Friday in favour of an impeachment trial against her.

Brazilian media reported that by a majority of 15 votes in favor, five votes against and one abstention, the committee ruled that the evidence against Rousseff, namely that she had allowed fiscal irregularities to happen under her government, was enough to warrant a trial.

The Senate will hold a full vote on May 11.

A full debate and vote will take place, with each of 81 senators being given up to 15 minutes to talk before casting their vote, meaning the session could last over 20 hours, according to daily O Globo.

A simple majority of 41 votes out of 81 in favor of the trial would see Rousseff have to step down for 180 days, during which time Vice President Michel Temer will step in as interim president.

During the commission’s vote, which was broadcast live on the Senate’s television channel, Rousseff opponents said that a trial was needed to defend democracy.

Ronaldo Caiado, leader of the Democrats Party in the Senate, said that “today, we are closing the first stage. We are showing the president that she will have ample opportunity to defend herself and are providing a report with clear motivations to continue. This commission does not seek to criminalize people.”

Senator Jose Medeiros, from the Social Democratic Party (PSD), said the commission’s report was “robust” and would be approved.

“Democracy is not just the Workers’ Party (PT), it is something far larger,” he added.

However, one of the Rousseff loyalists on the commission, PT Senator Lindbergh Farias stated that “we know this coup seeks to remove rights (from the president). An honorable woman is being tarnished by a gang leader, Eduardo Cunha.”