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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Rousseff impeachment: How did Brazil get here? | Rousseff impeachment: How did Brazil get here? |
| (4 days later) | |
| There is confusion surrounding the impeachment process against Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff after lower house Speaker Waldir Maranhao annulled a 17 April vote in favour of the process moving to the Senate. | |
| The Senate had been scheduled to vote on 11 May on whether to start an impeachment trial against Ms Rousseff. | |
| Following Mr Maranhao's decision it is now not clear if that vote will proceed or whether the lower house will have to vote again first. | |
| Ms Rousseff is accused of illegally manipulating government accounts, which she denies. | |
| Millions of Brazilians have called for the president to be impeached, but her supporters accuse the opposition of mounting a coup. | Millions of Brazilians have called for the president to be impeached, but her supporters accuse the opposition of mounting a coup. |
| Here we take a closer look at the problems in Brazil and what has gone wrong since President Rousseff was re-elected for a second term in October 2014. | Here we take a closer look at the problems in Brazil and what has gone wrong since President Rousseff was re-elected for a second term in October 2014. |
| President Rousseff under fire | President Rousseff under fire |
| President Dilma Rousseff's approval ratings have plummeted since she narrowly won her second presidential election in October 2014. | President Dilma Rousseff's approval ratings have plummeted since she narrowly won her second presidential election in October 2014. |
| According to a Datafolha poll (in Portuguese) released on 11 April, 63% of respondents across the country said her government was "bad or terrible", with only 13% saying it was "good or excellent". | According to a Datafolha poll (in Portuguese) released on 11 April, 63% of respondents across the country said her government was "bad or terrible", with only 13% saying it was "good or excellent". |
| Experts say this reflects voters' disillusionment with a deep recession and a corruption scandal involving the state-controlled oil company Petrobras. | Experts say this reflects voters' disillusionment with a deep recession and a corruption scandal involving the state-controlled oil company Petrobras. |
| The investigation into the corruption scandal, dubbed Operation Car Wash, has implicated important figures from Ms Rousseff Workers' Party, but also some of her opponents. | The investigation into the corruption scandal, dubbed Operation Car Wash, has implicated important figures from Ms Rousseff Workers' Party, but also some of her opponents. |
| Brazil's Attorney General has requested that the Supreme Court open an investigation into the alleged role of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the scandal. | Brazil's Attorney General has requested that the Supreme Court open an investigation into the alleged role of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the scandal. |
| Lula is not just Ms Rousseff's predecessor in the top job, but also her mentor and political ally and charges against him would reflect extremely negatively on Ms Rousseff. | Lula is not just Ms Rousseff's predecessor in the top job, but also her mentor and political ally and charges against him would reflect extremely negatively on Ms Rousseff. |
| Fight against impeachment | Fight against impeachment |
| The impeachment motion against President Rousseff is based on allegations that she manipulated the government's accounts in 2014 when she was seeking re-election. | The impeachment motion against President Rousseff is based on allegations that she manipulated the government's accounts in 2014 when she was seeking re-election. |
| She denies any wrongdoing and has accused her rivals of mounting a coup. | She denies any wrongdoing and has accused her rivals of mounting a coup. |
| The vote in the lower house on 17 April in favour of the impeachment proceedings going ahead was a serious setback for Ms Rousseff. | |
| Out of 513 members of the lower house, 367 voted in favour, exceeding by a comfortable margin the two-thirds majority needed to send the case to the Senate. | Out of 513 members of the lower house, 367 voted in favour, exceeding by a comfortable margin the two-thirds majority needed to send the case to the Senate. |
| Possible successors also under accusation | Possible successors also under accusation |
| If the Senate decides by a simple majority to put Ms Rousseff on trial, she will be immediately suspended for up to six months and Vice-President Michel Temer will take office. | If the Senate decides by a simple majority to put Ms Rousseff on trial, she will be immediately suspended for up to six months and Vice-President Michel Temer will take office. |
| A vote is expected later this month, and reports have suggested that a majority of senators will vote against her. | A vote is expected later this month, and reports have suggested that a majority of senators will vote against her. |
| But the three men in the line of succession have faced accusations of wrongdoings. They are all from the PMDB party, the largest party in the coalition, which abandoned Ms Rousseff in recent weeks to support the impeachment. | But the three men in the line of succession have faced accusations of wrongdoings. They are all from the PMDB party, the largest party in the coalition, which abandoned Ms Rousseff in recent weeks to support the impeachment. |
| They all deny the allegations against them. | They all deny the allegations against them. |
| Economy in the doldrums | Economy in the doldrums |
| Brazil's economy is going through its worst recession in more than three decades following a drop in prices for Brazilian commodities such as oil, iron ore and soya. | Brazil's economy is going through its worst recession in more than three decades following a drop in prices for Brazilian commodities such as oil, iron ore and soya. |
| In 2015, the economy shrank by 3.8%, its worst annual performance since 1981. | In 2015, the economy shrank by 3.8%, its worst annual performance since 1981. |
| Inflation reached 10.7% at the end of last year, a 12-year-high. | Inflation reached 10.7% at the end of last year, a 12-year-high. |
| Unemployment increased to 9% in 2015 and economists predict it could go into double figures in the coming months. | Unemployment increased to 9% in 2015 and economists predict it could go into double figures in the coming months. |
| Brazil's currency, which lost a third of its value against the dollar in 2015, has regained some ground as investors seem to celebrate Ms Rousseff's recent defeats. | Brazil's currency, which lost a third of its value against the dollar in 2015, has regained some ground as investors seem to celebrate Ms Rousseff's recent defeats. |
| They criticise her for interventionist policies and believe Mr Temer will lead a more market-friendly government, experts say. | They criticise her for interventionist policies and believe Mr Temer will lead a more market-friendly government, experts say. |
| Corruption | Corruption |
| One of the main complaints by protesters who have taken to the streets recently was the high level of corruption that has tainted the highest echelons of business and politics in Brazil. | One of the main complaints by protesters who have taken to the streets recently was the high level of corruption that has tainted the highest echelons of business and politics in Brazil. |
| Since the Workers' Party came to power in 2003, there has been a series of corruption scandals involving politicians from the governing party and also opposition parties. The two biggest are: | Since the Workers' Party came to power in 2003, there has been a series of corruption scandals involving politicians from the governing party and also opposition parties. The two biggest are: |
| A country divided | A country divided |
| The political crisis has deepened old political rivalries. | The political crisis has deepened old political rivalries. |
| Supporters of the governing Workers' Party point to the achievements the Rousseff and Lula administrations brought about, such as lifting millions of people out of poverty and reducing inequality. | Supporters of the governing Workers' Party point to the achievements the Rousseff and Lula administrations brought about, such as lifting millions of people out of poverty and reducing inequality. |
| They say that the allegations against them are a smear campaign designed to drive Ms Rousseff from office and prevent Lula from standing for the presidency in 2018. | They say that the allegations against them are a smear campaign designed to drive Ms Rousseff from office and prevent Lula from standing for the presidency in 2018. |
| They say that the massive corruption investigations are a sign that under the Rousseff government such crimes are being punished rather than swept under the carpet as in previous administrations. | They say that the massive corruption investigations are a sign that under the Rousseff government such crimes are being punished rather than swept under the carpet as in previous administrations. |
| The fact that high-ranking members of the Workers' Party have been convicted, they argue, is proof that there is no immunity. | The fact that high-ranking members of the Workers' Party have been convicted, they argue, is proof that there is no immunity. |
| Opponents of President Rousseff accuse her of mismanaging the economy and say her government is deeply corrupt. | Opponents of President Rousseff accuse her of mismanaging the economy and say her government is deeply corrupt. |
| They say they are fed up with the Workers' Party after its 13 years in power and demand a clean slate. | They say they are fed up with the Workers' Party after its 13 years in power and demand a clean slate. |