Amid Shouts of 'Out with Temer', Opposition Seeks Impeachment and Direct Elections

05/18/2017 - 10h59

Congressman Alessandro Molon (Rede Party) filed a petition for impeachment on Wednesday (the 17th) immediately after news was released that President Michel Temer had been recorded giving his support for payments to silence the ex-president of the Lower House, Eduardo Cunha (Brazilian Democratic Movement Party).

The petition filed by Molon was put together based upon Article 9, Item 7 of the Lei de Responsabilidade (Law of Responsibility), which relates to behaviors incompatible with a public position. Congressman JHC (Brazilian Socialist Party) also filed a petition for impeachment with the President of the Lower House, Rodrigo Maia (Democrats Party).

	Divulgação
	Congressman Alessandro Molon (Rede Party)

A Temer ally, the President of the House closed the session immediately after the news was made public, argued heatedly with the opposition, and left the plenary session in a state of uproar.

Congressman Glauber Braga (Socialism and Liberty Party) read the news on the floor of the chamber. The opposition started a chorus of "out with Temer!" and Maia closed the session which had been scheduled to vote on renewing a series of temporary bills which are set to expire.

Then an argument broke out between Maia and congressman Molon. Irritated and surrounded by security guards, Rodrigo Maio left the floor of the house.

NEW ELECTIONS

The opposition began commemorating in the House's Green Room. Molon called for new elections and rejected the hypothesis of indirect elections that had already started circulation among members of the allied coalition base.

"There is no way that Congress can do this election. It would be great if he resigned, if he had enough dignity for that. There is no question that the only way out is to have direct elections" said Molon.

Chico Alencar (Socialism and Liberty Party) pointed out that the impeachment process takes three months and that it would be difficult to find support in parliament, which has a governmental majority, for ending the President's term.

The Workers Party leader in the Lower House, Carlos Zaratini, said that Michel Temer's Government is "already finished", primarily because he won't have a "social base" to sustain him in power after the allegations. "He is a president who has been completely demoralized", he said.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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