Dismal Days for Brazilian Democracy
Rio de Janeiro For an event that marked the end of an era, the final act of the impeachment of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was a staid affair, punctuated by procedure and civil speeches.
Sure, there were tears. Janaína Paschoal, the lawyer who charged the president before the Senate with covering up holes in the budget to conceal the worsening state of the economy, cried at the podium. The president’s defense attorney, her former justice minister José Eduardo Cardozo, wept openly after presenting his argument.
When the final vote count was announced — 61 for Ms. Rousseff’s removal, and 20 against — the senators joined in an impromptu rendition of the national anthem.… Seguir leyendo »