August 26, 2016
Lula accuses the Senators of “breaking the Constitution by “prosecuting a President whose only mistake was being honest”.
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called this time as “the week of national shame” in describing the last session of the political trial that started yesterday in the Senate against the suspended President, Dilma Rousseff. “Today is the start of the week of national shame,” said Lula yesterday in an event organized by social movements and the Trade Union of oil workers “In defense of Petrobras and the shipbuilding industry” in Niterói, in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
The former President, political mentor of Rousseff, said that, “I feel ashamed for others to have to watch the Senate, which should be discussing the interests of the people, starting a discussion to condemn an innocent person. Today they started to break from the Constitution with a process against a President whose single mistake was that she was honest.”
The former Head of State, one of the favorites for the 2018 elections, was accompanied by João Pedro Stédile, leader of the Movement Without Land (MST), said, “if Rousseff is removed, the current interim government of Michel Temer will launch a privatization plan”. Rousseff who succeeded Lula, was the Minister of Mines and Energy and Chief of Staff in his administrations. She went on to win the presidential elections in 2010 and 2014.
The verdict to condemn or acquit Rousseff, for accounting crimes to hide the public deficit in the 2015 budget, should be determined next Tuesday by a vote of the Senate. Her dismissal will be voted on by 81 senators. She has been suspended from office since May 12 of this year and will be questioned by the Senate on Monday while social movements will be demonstrating outside against the proceedings. The trial was opened by the President of the Brazilian Supreme Court, Ricardo Lewandowski.
According to the latest estimates the August 30 decision points towards impeachment in the final vote. For this to happen a two thirds majority is needed, meaning at least 54 senators would have to vote against her. A great many of these legislators have been stacked in advance against Rousseff who in addition to losing her job she will be banned from holding any political job for eight years.
Translated by Resumen Latinoamericano North America Bureau
http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elmundo/4-307789-2016-08-26.html
Source: Página 12