Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has been removed from office after the Senate voted to impeach her on charges of manipulating government accounts to mask a widening budget deficit ahead of her 2014 re-election campaign. The decision ends her presidency and deepens political turmoil in Latin America’s largest economy.
The Senate vote
The Senate concluded a lengthy impeachment trial by finding Rousseff guilty of using loans from state banks to artificially bolster public finances, a practice known locally as “fiscal pedalling.” The move was deemed a violation of Brazil’s fiscal responsibility laws. A clear majority supported her removal, surpassing the two-thirds threshold required by the constitution.
Rousseff’s defence
Throughout the proceedings, Rousseff denied any wrongdoing, insisting that her actions were consistent with previous government practices and not grounds for impeachment. She described the process as a “parliamentary coup,” arguing that it was politically motivated by opponents unable to defeat her at the ballot box. Her defence maintained that the measures taken were temporary budgetary manoeuvres, not criminal misconduct.
Aftermath and succession
Following the Senate’s decision, Vice-President Michel Temer assumed the presidency to serve out the remainder of Rousseff’s term. Temer pledged to restore economic stability and investor confidence after two years of deep recession, high unemployment, and a collapse in commodity prices that battered Brazil’s economy. His government was expected to pursue austerity measures and structural reforms to reduce the fiscal deficit.
Broader political and economic impact
The impeachment capped months of political instability, mass protests, and declining trust in Brazil’s political class. Rousseff’s Workers’ Party, once dominant, faced dwindling support amid corruption scandals and economic malaise. The process left the country divided, with her supporters claiming democracy had been undermined, while critics argued that accountability had been restored.
The removal of Rousseff marked the first time a Brazilian president had been permanently ousted through impeachment since the return of democracy in the 1980s. The episode reshaped Brazil’s political landscape, with long-term consequences for governance, institutional credibility, and the nation’s role on the international stage.
REFH – Newshub, 31 August 2025
Recent Comments