MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Brazilian lawmakers make an exception and begin impeachment procedure against Rousseff on Friday
Rousseff has 10 sessions of the House to present her defense and - even though the special impeachment committee did not meet on Friday - the clock started ticking. 
Antonio Imbassahy, the leader of the opposition PSDB party in the lower house, lawmaker from Bahia, said the committee could present its finding by mid-April. 
“This was illegal,” Rousseff told a rally on Friday. “Only the Supreme Court has the authority to wire tap a president.” 
In another tape Rui Falcao, PT president was heard asking Rousseff's then-chief of staff Jaques Wagner to intervene after prosecutors requested Lula's arrest. The Brazilian opposition parties, meeting in the Lower House of Congress sped up the impeachment process against president Dilma Rousseff by holding a session on Friday, a day that lawmakers are normally away from Brasilia.
The president has 10 sessions of the house to present her defense and - even though the special impeachment committee did not meet on Friday - the clock started ticking. The impeachment case is centered on allegations that Rousseff broke budget rules to boost spending as she campaigned for re-election in 2014.
Antonio Imbassahy, the leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party of Brazil (PSDB) party in the lower house, lawmaker from Bahia, said the committee could present its finding by mid-April.
Rousseff appointed Lula, who remains one of Brazil's most influential politicians six years after leaving office, in an effort to fight impeachment and win back working-class supporters amid the worst economic recession in decades.
But his appointment has been overshadowed by the release of taped telephone conversations between Rousseff and Lula that a crusading anti-corruption judge said showed them discussing how to interfere with his investigation into a massive corruption scheme centered on state oil company Petrobras.
The release of the recordings has inflamed tensions that were already running high between the judiciary and government.
“This was illegal,” Rousseff told a rally on Friday. “Only the Supreme Court has the authority to wire tap a president.”
In another tape made public on Friday, the president of the ruling Workers' Party was heard asking Rousseff's then-chief of staff Jaques Wagner to intervene after Sao Paulo prosecutors requested Lula's arrest.
“Alert the president. There needs to be a State decision”, said Rui Falcao. “You have to do something, because the state judge may decide today.”
Wagner answered: “Ok, let me do something here.”
Lula and Rousseff both deny any wrongdoing.
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Read all commentsBrasshole will be working overtime hacking away at the keyboard trying to defend the crooks. (polishing his brass)
Mar 19th, 2016 - 11:25 am 0The Brazilian Economic Crisis began when the Minimum Wages increased instead of lowering of the Cost of Living.
Mar 20th, 2016 - 05:06 pm 0Increasing the Minimum Wages was more easy [immediate but superficial & illusive] than the Lowering of the Cost of Living [long-term, more realistic and effective].
Despite the above mentioned facts;
#1º: The wages - mainly of the poor - were increased.
#2º: Credit-Facilities were increased, made easier and were extended [making Bankers happier!]
#3º: Excessive number of jobs were created artificially, needlessly & indiscriminately; mainly in the Public-Setcor.
The Immediate Results were:
A:- Creation of an “illusion of boom” and
B:- Publicising low % of Unemployment.
Both the tactics worked - SUCCESSFULLY - as an EXCELLENT Political Strategy to gain Popularity & the Sympathy [VOTES] of the MASSES [mainly poor, mostly illiterate, brainwashed, etc.].
The Policy however failed miserably as an Economic & Commercial Strategy because gradually; EVERYTHING became more expensive due to the higher labour-costs, higher interest-rates and higher taxation.
Even those who were initially pleased to receive higher salaries; eventually had to spend more due to the still Higher Cost of Living. They eventually realized that they continued to remain poor, ending-up with increased debts - instead of increased bank-balance!
Unfortunately - ignoring the scandals & corruption - they still remain brainwashed till today!
One of the advantages of the Internet is that we are not captives of government run media such as Mercopenguin for the news. Here are a few of the many more insightful articles from reporters who are either down in Brazil or in the US:
Mar 24th, 2016 - 12:53 am 0https://americasouthandnorth.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/on-brazils-political-crisis/
https://americasouthandnorth.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/on-brazils-political-crisis/
https://americasouthandnorth.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/on-brazils-political-crisis/
The photo of the two parents and the nanny in the first link says it all for me: This is all about the indolent upper middle class who 'want their country back'. Where have we heard that before?
For a little humor see:
https://americasouthandnorth.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/on-brazils-political-crisis/
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