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WORLD NEWSWednesday 6 April 2016
Top Brazil court orders opening of impeachment against VP
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff, left, talks with Jackson Schneider, president of Embraer Defense saying that the longer the
man who would take over and Security, during a ceremony at which she toured a new model of military transport aircraft, crisis drags on, the harder it
if Brazilian President Dilma developed Embraer, at an air base in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 5, 2016. Brazil’s embattled will be to restart the coun-
Rousseff is impeached, president has ruled out any Cabinet reshuffle ahead of a congressional vote on impeachment try’s flagging economy
Vice President Michel Te- proceedings against her, expected later this month. and bring down rising un-
mer, could now be running employment and inflation.
that same risk of impeach- (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Also on Tuesday, Rousseff
ment. ruled out a Cabinet reshuf-
Supreme Court Justice Meanwhile Tuesday, the Rousseff, speaking early of those in line to succeed fle ahead of a congressio-
Marco Aurelio Mello ruled head of the Senate, Re- Tuesday, appeared dismis- her —Temer, Cunha and nal vote on her impeach-
Tuesday that the lower nan Calheiros, suggested sive of the idea, saying, Calheiros — ensnared in ment, which is expected
house of Congress must general elections could be “convince the Congress the corruption scandal at mid-month.
open impeachment pro- a valid way out of the po- and Senate to give up their the state-run oil company, Uncertainty over the Cabi-
ceedings against Temer litical crisis paralyzing the mandates. Then come talk Petrobras, a growing cho- net had reigned since last
because he faces the country. Speaking to jour- to me.” rus is urging general elec- week, when Brazil’s largest
same allegations of break- nalists, he said “we cannot Calls for a general elec- tions as a way of wiping party pulled out of Rous-
ing fiscal rules as Rousseff. close any doors, or fail to tion have increased in re- the slate clean and starting seff’s governing coalition.
Mello ruled a commission discuss any alternative.” cent weeks, as the possibil- afresh. Leaders of the Brazilian
must be created to exam- “We have to hold onto it as ity that Rousseff might be Proponents of the plan insist Democratic Movement
ine the impeachment re- an alternative,” Calheiros impeached has become on the need to urgently re- Party, or PMDB, which
quest against Temer — the said. more likely. With all three solve the current quagmire, Cunha and Calheiros be-
same procedure Rousseff is long to, said its six ministers
now going through. would resign immediately,
The request was among but none has yet left the
four filed against Temer — government.
all of which were dismissed Observers had said they
by the speaker of the lower expected Rousseff to offer
house, Eduardo Cunha. He the posts to smaller parties
is a key ally and member to help secure their support
of the same party, as well in the impeachment vote.
as an enemy of Rousseff. But Rousseff said Tuesday
Mello ruled that Cunha that the presidential pal-
overstepped his role by de- ace “does not intend to
ciding to shelve the filing make any ministerial re-
because he determined it structuring before the vote
lacked merit. in the lower house.”
Mello’s ruling reverses Te- If Rousseff’s foes score two-
mer’s dismissals in one of thirds of the 513 votes, the
the filings, although Cunha impeachment process
can appeal the decision to against her moves forward
the full court. in the Senate.
Puerto Rico Senate approves debt moratorium amid crisis
DANICA COTO Puerto Rico Gov, Alejandro Javier Garcia Padilla testifies on Puerto Rico’s fiscal problems. Puerto Tuesday. Gov. Alejandro
Associated Press Rico’s Senate approved a measure Tuesday that would allow the governor to declare a fiscal Garcia Padilla, who
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) emergency and declare a moratorium on debt payments amid a worsening economic crisis. supports the measure,
— Puerto Rico’s Senate ap- called an emergency
proved a measure Tuesday (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) meeting with top
that would allow the gov- government officials amid
ernor to declare a fiscal fare of the people of Puer- moratorium until January would oversee fiscal issues. concerns the House might
emergency and declare a to Rico.” 2017. It also calls for the The House of not approve the bill.
moratorium on debt pay- The bill would allow the creation of a financial Representatives began Some opposition legislators
ments amid a worsening governor to impose a advisory authority that debating the legislation criticized the governor for
economic crisis. seeking what they said
Senators said the measure was abrupt approval of
would ensure the continu- the bill, which the Senate
ation of essential govern- passed in pre-dawn
ment services as the U.S. hours as bondholders
territory’s government runs arrived in Puerto Rico to
out of money. It also would secure a restructuring
create a path to place deal. The presence of the
the troubled Government bondholders rankled some
Development Bank into re- legislators.
ceivership if needed. “Those prowling the Capitol
“Puerto Rico is in need are not those who lent
of immediate relief,” the money to our people, they
measure states. It “needs are expecting an absurd
tools to exercise its police profit at the expense of
powers in order to protect the people,” Rep. Manuel
the health, safety and wel- Natal told reporters.
