Brazil: Major blow for Rousseff as PMDB quits coalition



SAO PAULO: -- Brazil’s largest party said on Tuesday that it is quitting President Dilma Rousseff’s governing coalition and pulling its members from her government, a departure that strikes a serious blow to her chances of surviving in office.

The Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) decided at a leadership meeting that its six remaining ministers in Rousseff’s Cabinet and all other party members with government appointments must resign or face ethics proceedings.

The PMDB has 69 members in the 513-member Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament.

The departure from the government of the PMDB sharply increases the odds of impeachment proceedings against Rousseff going forward, as she needs the support of at least a third of Chamber Deputies to block them.

Roussef is fighting moves to impeach her over allegations that she manipulated Brazil’s accounts and had links to the corruption scandal surrounding oil company Petrobras.

If she were to be impeached, that would put Vice President Michel Temer of the PMDB in the presidental seat.

Rousseff insists there is no legal basis for impeachment.

Former President Lula da Silva lept to the president’s defence on Monday evening, saying: “Allow this woman to have the tranquility to govern this country. Allow her to have time to think in this country and let her be judged when her term is over.”

Rousseff was da Silva’s handpicked successor.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-03-30

Courts want to judge you now your time is over, so you changed the rules.

The Brics have fallen and now one by one they're shattering.

India is the only one that is actually, and for the first time in a very long time, moving forward and making progress. The PM there Marendra Modi of the BJP has openly aligned with the United States in diplomacy, economics, trade, defense.

Argentina which had become bankrupt and an enthusiastic Bric without a letter (Brica?) has gone completely in the opposite direction, now doing the tango with the United States. Russia is at minus 5% of GDP and Beijing is facing off at center court with the much taller Grim Reaper. Swiissh. The Brics had no mortar.

The socialist government of Brazil to include its former president Lula da Silva have run out of other people's money to spend. It wuz always going to happen. Happening now, watching it now too.