Brazil delays Rousseff impeachment hearing
December 9, 2015
Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily suspended action by the special congressional commission leading impeachment proceedings against Rousseff, the country's moderate left-wing president.
Proceedings will be delayed until December 16, when the court convenes for a full session.
Then decision came the same day the lower house of Brazil's parliament appointed the committee. A majority of the committee's members are either in open opposition to Rousseff's ruling coalition, or hail from uneasy junior coalition partners yet still favor her impeachment.
The fight of her life
Rousseff, who is one year into her second term, has been accused of manipulating state finances. She has brushed aside the charges, saying she only continued accepted practices of previous governments. She has called the attempt to remove her from office a "coup."
The president's sworn enemy, Eduardo Cunha, the speaker of the lower house, introduced the impeachment proceedings last week. In an ironic twist, Cunha himself faces impeachment for his role in the ongoing Petrobras scandal.
It's still not clear to many observers how Rousseff will fare in the ongoing impeachment battle, which could drag on for months.
blc/msh (AFP)