Speeches Against President Temer Predominant at Lower House of Congress

10/18/2017 - 11h04

The Constitution and Justice Committee of the lower house of Congress will cast its vote, on Wednesday (18), regarding the second charge brought by the Prosecutor General's Office against president Michel Temer.

Despite the optimism of Temer's supporters, speeches against the president dominated the beginning of the debate on the case.

A total of 28 members had spoken by 7:20 pm, on Tuesday (17) - 17 members against the president and 11 in favor. Additional 25 members were yet to make their speech, all of them against Temer.

The score, however, does not accurately represent the expected result of the Committee's voting, seeing Temer's supporters avoided speaking in order to speed up the proceeding.

The keynote of the speeches was that Temer uses government measures to buy votes.

PSDB was accused of trying to promote a "quid pro quo": to save Temer in exchange for Aécio Neves' (PSDB-MG) mandate.

"A congressman [Andrada] committed to saving the neck of a president involved in wrongdoing", said Luiza Erundina (PSOL-SP).

One week after confirmation by the Supreme Court of his arrest warrant, congressman Paulo Maluf (PP-SP) defended Temer.

He said the charges against the president are "false accusations" and "empty", and that they represent an act of "terrorism" against the national economy.

Translated by ANA BEATRIZ DEMARIA

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	Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
	Brazil's President Michel Temer speaks during a press statement at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia