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Justice Orders Brazilian Lawmaker Behind Rousseff’s Impeachment to Step Down Justice Orders Brazilian Lawmaker Behind Rousseff’s Impeachment to Step Down
(35 minutes later)
RIO DE JANEIRO — A Brazilian Supreme Court justice ruled on Thursday that the powerful lawmaker who orchestrated the effort to impeach President Dilma Rousseff must step down as he faces graft charges, ratcheting up tensions in the country.RIO DE JANEIRO — A Brazilian Supreme Court justice ruled on Thursday that the powerful lawmaker who orchestrated the effort to impeach President Dilma Rousseff must step down as he faces graft charges, ratcheting up tensions in the country.
And in a further blow to Brazil’s scandal-plagued political establishment, Vice President Michel Temer, the man preparing to take control of the government from Ms. Rousseff, had his conviction on charges of violating limits on campaign financing upheld earlier this week, a ruling that makes him ineligible to run for elected office for eight years.And in a further blow to Brazil’s scandal-plagued political establishment, Vice President Michel Temer, the man preparing to take control of the government from Ms. Rousseff, had his conviction on charges of violating limits on campaign financing upheld earlier this week, a ruling that makes him ineligible to run for elected office for eight years.
The rulings are not expected to save Ms. Rousseff from being removed from office, with support for her ouster remaining strong in the Senate, which is preparing to vote next week on whether to remove her from office and put her on trial over claims of budgetary manipulation. But the decisions reflect the potential for greater political turmoil in the country. The rulings are not expected to save Ms. Rousseff’s presidency. Support for her ouster remains strong in the Senate, which is preparing to vote next week on whether to remove her from office and put her on trial over claims of budgetary manipulation. But the decisions reflect the potential for greater political turmoil in the country.
The ruling by Justice Teori Zavascki came amid growing fears about the power wielded by the lawmaker, Eduardo Cunha, the speaker of the lower house of Congress, who has fended off charges of taking as much as $40 million in bribes while overseeing the vote in April to impeach Ms. Rousseff in the Chamber of Deputies.The ruling by Justice Teori Zavascki came amid growing fears about the power wielded by the lawmaker, Eduardo Cunha, the speaker of the lower house of Congress, who has fended off charges of taking as much as $40 million in bribes while overseeing the vote in April to impeach Ms. Rousseff in the Chamber of Deputies.
The effort to remove Mr. Cunha, an evangelical Christian radio commentator, sidelines a top political opponent of Ms. Rousseff after much of the damage against her in the lower house had already been carried out.The effort to remove Mr. Cunha, an evangelical Christian radio commentator, sidelines a top political opponent of Ms. Rousseff after much of the damage against her in the lower house had already been carried out.
Both Mr. Cunha and Mr. Temer can appeal the rulings against them. But a spokesman for Mr. Temer said that the vice president would not appeal, opting instead to pay a fine of about $23,000. (Mr. Temer, 75, has already signaled that if he were to become president, he would not run for re-election.) Mr. Cunha can appeal the ruling against him, and he is expected to do so. A spokesman for Mr. Temer said he would not appeal and would pay a fine of about $23,000. (Mr. Temer, 75, has already signaled that if he were to become president, he would not run for re-election.)
In the lower house, attention now shifts to Waldir Maranhão, an obscure ally of Mr. Cunha who could take over as speaker. Like Mr. Cunha, Mr. Maranhão is also under investigation on graft charges, raising the possibility that the Supreme Court could also order him to step down. In the lower house, attention now shifts to Waldir Maranhão, an obscure ally of Mr. Cunha who could take over as speaker. Like Mr. Cunha, Mr. Maranhão is under investigation on graft charges, raising the possibility that the Supreme Court could also order him to step down.
The legal clouds around Mr. Cunha and Mr. Temer point to concerns over the legitimacy of a potential government led by their centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, which recently broke an alliance with Ms. Rousseff’s leftist Workers’ Party to seek her impeachment. The legal clouds around Mr. Cunha and Mr. Temer point to concerns over the legitimacy of a possible government led by their centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, which recently broke an alliance with Ms. Rousseff’s leftist Workers’ Party to seek her impeachment.
The ruling involving Mr. Temer was issued on Tuesday in a case before an electoral court in São Paulo, in southeast Brazil. In that case, prosecutors were trying to increase the fine on Mr. Temer over campaign donations he made in 2014. The court decided against increasing the fine, but it upheld the ruling that Mr. Temer had violated campaign finance laws.The ruling involving Mr. Temer was issued on Tuesday in a case before an electoral court in São Paulo, in southeast Brazil. In that case, prosecutors were trying to increase the fine on Mr. Temer over campaign donations he made in 2014. The court decided against increasing the fine, but it upheld the ruling that Mr. Temer had violated campaign finance laws.
While prosecutors have determined that Mr. Temer will not face an investigation over testimony implicating him in the colossal graft scandal engulfing Petrobras, the national oil company, various politicians identified as potential ministers in Mr. Temer’s cabinet are battling their own corruption cases.While prosecutors have determined that Mr. Temer will not face an investigation over testimony implicating him in the colossal graft scandal engulfing Petrobras, the national oil company, various politicians identified as potential ministers in Mr. Temer’s cabinet are battling their own corruption cases.
The figures under investigation include top allies of Mr. Temer such as Geddel Vieira Lima, a former executive at one of Brazil’s largest government-controlled banks; Romero Jucá, a senator from Roraima State in the Amazon; and Henrique Alves, a former tourism minister.The figures under investigation include top allies of Mr. Temer such as Geddel Vieira Lima, a former executive at one of Brazil’s largest government-controlled banks; Romero Jucá, a senator from Roraima State in the Amazon; and Henrique Alves, a former tourism minister.
Mr. Temer said this week that he saw no problem naming politicians who were under investigation to his cabinet, maintaining that they were innocent until proven guilty.Mr. Temer said this week that he saw no problem naming politicians who were under investigation to his cabinet, maintaining that they were innocent until proven guilty.
“An investigation is just that, only an investigation,” Mr. Temer said in nationally televised comments.“An investigation is just that, only an investigation,” Mr. Temer said in nationally televised comments.