Ahead of Olympics, attempt to impeach president rocks Brazil

SAO PAULO: Less than four months before the opening of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was thrown into chaos late on Sunday as the lower house of parliament voted for the beginning of impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff, serving second year of her second four-year term.The vote in the Congress was passed with 367 members supporting the motion for the impeachment of the president for “fiscal irresponsibility“.Just 137 voted against the move.With this, Brazil has entered a phase of political uncertainty that may last up to six months during which two big events, the Olympics in Rio and the BRICS summit in Goa, are scheduled. As of now, it's uncertain if Rousseff will attend either event as President.Rousseff has not been accused of corruption, but her opponents want her impeached because the government allegedly tried to cover up budget gaps with money from stateowned banks. Sunday's vote does not mean the end of Rousseff 's term, but it's a very big jolt to her government which has been in minority since her coalition partner PMDB quit last month. The Workers Party (PT) to which Rousseff belongs, failed to muster 172 votes to block the motion in Congress, despite former president Lula de Silva setting up a base in Brasilia to mobilise support for her successor.The opposition is likely to secure two-thirds majority in the lower house to push impeachment. Now, the senate will have at least 10 sessions to decide whether it should proceed with it. If a simple majority of the 81 senators approves the motion, Rousseff will be temporarily removed from office for up to 180 days until a final decision is made with a twothirds majority . If the first vote is passed by the senate, vice-president Michel Temer, who has fallen out with Rousseff, will assume temporary control. Mired in corruption scandals, Temer is widely unpopular and himself faces impeachment threat. Latest opinion polls reveal that Temer is unacceptable as president to more than 75% of Brazilians. Sunday was a tense day as people from opposite camps crammed the streets in all big cities. As news of the Cong ress's vote came in, thousands celebrated in Sao Paulo, Brazil's richest city, which is also an opposition stronghold.Tension is running high in the country which is hosting the 2016 Olympics in August.With the country deeply divided and unions and social movements threatening to take to the streets to “defend democracy“, a lot of trouble can be expected before and during the games. Rousseff 's impeachment may also cast a shadow on BRICS October summit in India. If the impeachment process is gridlocked and the government pushes for fresh elections, Brazil may poll for a new president in October. That may put a question mark over the participation of the Brazilian president -Rousseff or Temer -in the BRICS summit.Sources in Brasilia said the ruling party will discuss on Tuesday a plan to propose a reduction in Rousseff 's term and call for elections this year.