Brazil: Dilma's impeachment was a 'coup' that will hurt country

Dilma Rouseff

President Dilma Rouseff's impeachment amounts to a coup which will worsen already extreme inequalities within Brazil and harm people and the environment, Christian Aid and its partner organisations are warning. Dilma Rousseff has been ousted from her role as President following a Senate vote of 61-20. She stood accused of manipulating budgets but no formal proof was found against her.

The Archbishop of the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, Francisco de Assis da Silva, described the impeachment as a 'coup' which would have profound consequences and which he said must be resisted.

"The Senators condemned the President for a crime but didn't forbid her from running for another public position. This just makes clear that what happened was a coup. There was no real crime - just a matter of taking her out of power," he said.

"Our partners abroad have to know how deep are the setbacks we face now," he added.

"We can already name three: the slowing of corruption investigations, setbacks to social rights and increasing private control over Brazil's natural resources and public goods."

The Archbishop added that the only possible response was: "To resist, to resist, to resist. This is how we will face this coup and the setbacks. Today's decision makes international partnership and solidarity even more necessary."

Sarah Roure, Christian Aid's Programme Officer in Brazil, added: "The country is already one of the world's most unequal, with income and wealth highly concentrated in the hands of very few, who don't pay their fair share of tax. Now Parliament is discussing a constitutional change forbidding any increase in public investments in health and education over the next 20 years, and changes in labour rights. Such moves, along with the economic crisis, are deepening inequalities and undermining reductions in poverty.

"Already, the space for civil society in Brazil is systematically being shrunk, with the persecution of social movements and the poorest people. Earlier this week in São Paulo city, housing campaigners were strongly repressed after protesting against changes that will harm people. Under the new President Temer's leadership, Brazil's economic and political paralysis will only deepen."

Following the impeachment vote, Vice-President Michel Temer, has been sworn in as President until 1 January 2019.

Source: Christian Aid