Brazilian Senators Regret Voting for Rousseff Impeachment

Senator Romario speaks during the session debating the vote for the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff in Brasilia, May 11, 2016. | Photo: Reuters

The two-thirds majority required to permanently oust President Rousseff from power may not be so easy to obtain. At least three Brazilian Senators have told media outlets that they now regret voting in favor of an impeachment trial of President Dilma Rousseff.

Senators Romario, Acir Gurgacz, and Cristovam Buarque have recently revealed that they are reconsidering their support for the impeachment of Rousseff.

Senators voted 55 to 22 in May to continue with an impeachment trial, forcing Rousseff to temporarily step down from her post. For Rousseff to be permanently ousted, two-thirds of the Senate must vote in favor of impeachment at the conclusion of her trial.

A change of heart from only a few Senators would mean the two-thirds threshold would likely not be met, meaning Rousseff would return to power.

Senator Romario, a former soccer star who enjoyed support from progressive Brazilians, criticized the dramatic changes being implemented by the coup-imposed government of Michel Temer.

Romario added that lawmakers must take into consideration the content of leaked conversations, which revealed politicians close to Temer conspired with members of the Supreme Court and military commanders to oust Rousseff and protect corrupt officials from facing justice.

Those leaks gave new weight to arguments that the impeachment process was actually a means for Brazil's elite to capture the presidency without winning an election.

Meanwhile Senator Helio Jose has made sharply critical comments about the Temer government, suggesting he too was reconsidering her support for impeachment.

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