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Brazil's President Temer avoids corruption trial | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Brazil's President Michel Temer has secured enough votes in the lower house of Congress to avoid facing trial on corruption charges. | |
Prosecutors had accused Mr Temer of obstructing justice and racketeering, which he has repeatedly denied. | |
Mr Temer, 77, could only face trial with the approval of two-thirds of the lower house. | |
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Temer had tests in hospital for tests after his doctor diagnosed a urinary obstruction. | |
With 136 of the 477 lawmakers present voting to dismiss the charges as the results came in, President Temer's opponents could no longer reach the 342 votes required to authorise a trial at the country's Supreme Court, Reuters news agency reports. | |
Investigations against the president can now only resume once he steps down at the end of 2018. | |
Last week, the congressional justice committee also rejected the charges against the president. | |
The charges stem from a corruption case involving the world's largest meat-packing firm, JBS. Mr Temer survived a similar congressional vote in August on bribery charges. | The charges stem from a corruption case involving the world's largest meat-packing firm, JBS. Mr Temer survived a similar congressional vote in August on bribery charges. |
He is currently facing the worst approval ratings in Brazilian history, but lawmakers seem prepared to protect him again, correspondents say. | He is currently facing the worst approval ratings in Brazilian history, but lawmakers seem prepared to protect him again, correspondents say. |
Mr Temer became president last year following the impeachment of his predecessor, Dilma Rousseff. | Mr Temer became president last year following the impeachment of his predecessor, Dilma Rousseff. |
She was found guilty of tampering with the government accounts in order to hide a growing deficit ahead of her re-election in 2014. | She was found guilty of tampering with the government accounts in order to hide a growing deficit ahead of her re-election in 2014. |