Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff
on Monday appeared on the verge of losing office after a
congressional vote to impeach her and with seemingly slipping
support in the Senate, which would vote on whether to remove
the leftist leader amid a national political and economic
crisis, according to the Associated Press.
The 367-137 lower house vote in favor of impeachment Sunday
sends the issue to the Senate. If a majority there votes to
put Rousseff on trial, she'd be suspended while Vice President
Michel Temer temporarily takes over. The exact date of the
Senate vote is not known, but it's widely expected by the
middle of next month.
Local news media report that 45 of the 81 senators have said
they will vote to hold the impeachment trial.
The vote worsens the confusion over the country's political
landscape as Brazil, already reeling from a sharp economic
recession and a massive corruption scandal, prepares to host
the Olympic Games in August.
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