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| Brazil's president keeps job as congress votes against corruption charges | Brazil's president keeps job as congress votes against corruption charges |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The credibility of Brazil’s congress has been left in rags after its lower house overwhelmingly voted not to approve corruption charges against the president, Michel Temer – even though 81% of his countrymen said in a recent poll that they should. | The credibility of Brazil’s congress has been left in rags after its lower house overwhelmingly voted not to approve corruption charges against the president, Michel Temer – even though 81% of his countrymen said in a recent poll that they should. |
| Temer was charged with corruption after a close aide was given $150,000 in cash – part of $12m in bribes prosecutors allege he and the aide were due to receive after intervening in a business deal. | Temer was charged with corruption after a close aide was given $150,000 in cash – part of $12m in bribes prosecutors allege he and the aide were due to receive after intervening in a business deal. |
| Two-thirds of the lower house had to approve the charges before the supreme court could confirm the decision and suspend the president for up to 180 days for a corruption trial. But more than half of its deputies deputes voted for Temer, giving him a clear victory, as had been widely expected, and saving his beleaguered presidency - at least for now. | |
| “I want to construct a better country for each Brazilian, pacified, just, without hate or rancor. Our inexorable destiny is to be a great nation,” Temer said in a victory address. “I thank the Chamber of Deputies.” | |
| The decision came just over a year after many of the same deputies voted to suspend Temer’s predecessor, Dilma Rousseff, for breaking budget rules – charges that led to her eventual impeachment. | The decision came just over a year after many of the same deputies voted to suspend Temer’s predecessor, Dilma Rousseff, for breaking budget rules – charges that led to her eventual impeachment. |
| The allegations Temer faced were much more serious. He became the country’s first sitting head of state to be formally charged with a crime after he and the aide were accused of accepting the promise of the “undue advantage” of millions in future payments. | The allegations Temer faced were much more serious. He became the country’s first sitting head of state to be formally charged with a crime after he and the aide were accused of accepting the promise of the “undue advantage” of millions in future payments. |
| And compounding the sense of farce, according to research by Congress in Focus, a political site, at least 190 of the 513 deputies able to vote face criminal processes at Brazil’s supreme court. | And compounding the sense of farce, according to research by Congress in Focus, a political site, at least 190 of the 513 deputies able to vote face criminal processes at Brazil’s supreme court. |
| “This shows the bankruptcy of the Brazilian political and electoral system,” said Edson Sardinha, the site’s editor. | “This shows the bankruptcy of the Brazilian political and electoral system,” said Edson Sardinha, the site’s editor. |
| The televised vote late on Wednesday followed an intense burst of political manoeuvring. In June and July, the government agreed an extra $1bn-plus to deputies for projects in their home states. On Tuesday, Temer met with lawmakers from a powerful agribusiness lobby and his government announced a measure to reduce the pension contributions farmers make for workers. | The televised vote late on Wednesday followed an intense burst of political manoeuvring. In June and July, the government agreed an extra $1bn-plus to deputies for projects in their home states. On Tuesday, Temer met with lawmakers from a powerful agribusiness lobby and his government announced a measure to reduce the pension contributions farmers make for workers. |
| “This is what causes this sense of shame,” said Paulo Baía, a political scientist at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. “This is the politics of patrimonialism, of the exchange of favours, of private interests - and not of the public good.” | “This is what causes this sense of shame,” said Paulo Baía, a political scientist at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. “This is the politics of patrimonialism, of the exchange of favours, of private interests - and not of the public good.” |
| As with last year’s vote against Rousseff, there was no shortage of pantomime. Then, the conservative deputy Wladimir Costa fired off a confetti gun when he voted. During Wednesday’s vote, opposition deputies mocked the “Temer” tattoo Costa recently had placed on his shoulder, wearing “Temer Out” badges in the same place. | As with last year’s vote against Rousseff, there was no shortage of pantomime. Then, the conservative deputy Wladimir Costa fired off a confetti gun when he voted. During Wednesday’s vote, opposition deputies mocked the “Temer” tattoo Costa recently had placed on his shoulder, wearing “Temer Out” badges in the same place. |
| “Temer is an ethical, transparent man,” Costa said in a speech. According to Open Accounts, a Congress watchdog, Costa’s home state received $2.14m in government funding in June and July. | “Temer is an ethical, transparent man,” Costa said in a speech. According to Open Accounts, a Congress watchdog, Costa’s home state received $2.14m in government funding in June and July. |
| Speaking before the vote, the opposition deputy Sílvio Costa accused the government of “making corruption official”. | Speaking before the vote, the opposition deputy Sílvio Costa accused the government of “making corruption official”. |
| “You need to think of your children, your grandchildren. You are giving a terrible example to Brazil,” he said. | “You need to think of your children, your grandchildren. You are giving a terrible example to Brazil,” he said. |
| An enormous graft scheme at the state-run oil company Petrobras was first unveiled in 2014 and enveloped members of Rousseff’s Workers’ party and its congressional allies. | An enormous graft scheme at the state-run oil company Petrobras was first unveiled in 2014 and enveloped members of Rousseff’s Workers’ party and its congressional allies. |
| But things have hardly improved since Temer took over. He lost six ministers to scandals last year, saw investigations into another eight agreed by a supreme court judge this year, and was then recorded during a secret meeting with a meat mogul encouraging the obstruction of investigations and recommending a close aide the executive could deal with. | But things have hardly improved since Temer took over. He lost six ministers to scandals last year, saw investigations into another eight agreed by a supreme court judge this year, and was then recorded during a secret meeting with a meat mogul encouraging the obstruction of investigations and recommending a close aide the executive could deal with. |
| That aide, Rodrigo Rocha Loures, was later recorded intervening with an antitrust organ in a business dispute and filmed furtively exiting a São Paulo pizzeria with more than $150,000 in a suitcase. Brazil’s prosecutor-general alleged this, and a further $12m, was due to Temer. Temer’s lawyer Antônio Mariz told lawmakers there was no evidence Temer ever received the money. | That aide, Rodrigo Rocha Loures, was later recorded intervening with an antitrust organ in a business dispute and filmed furtively exiting a São Paulo pizzeria with more than $150,000 in a suitcase. Brazil’s prosecutor-general alleged this, and a further $12m, was due to Temer. Temer’s lawyer Antônio Mariz told lawmakers there was no evidence Temer ever received the money. |
| His government has vowed to carry on with an unpopular program of austerity measures it argues are essential to drag Brazil out of its recession – and many lawmakers voting to preserve his presidency used this as an argument. | His government has vowed to carry on with an unpopular program of austerity measures it argues are essential to drag Brazil out of its recession – and many lawmakers voting to preserve his presidency used this as an argument. |
| “Yes to pension reform, yes to labour reform, yes to political reform,” said Rubens Bueno, casting his vote before a microphone. | “Yes to pension reform, yes to labour reform, yes to political reform,” said Rubens Bueno, casting his vote before a microphone. |
| But at least one more charge – for obstruction of justice – is expected. Meanwhile, a popular sense of disillusionment with Brazilian politicians is soaring. In a July poll for the Agora (now) political movement, 79% said they would like to see non-politicians stand in the 2018 presidential and congressional elections. | But at least one more charge – for obstruction of justice – is expected. Meanwhile, a popular sense of disillusionment with Brazilian politicians is soaring. In a July poll for the Agora (now) political movement, 79% said they would like to see non-politicians stand in the 2018 presidential and congressional elections. |