Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Thursday filed a motion with the nation’s Supreme Court in efforts to halt a congressional impeachment drive. The motion was presented to the court by Solicitor-General José Eduardo Cardozo. In his brief, Cardozo told the high court judges that Rousseff has been denied adequate mechanisms for defense in congressional proceedings so far. Earlier this week, a special Chamber of Deputies committee voted in favor of an impeachment resolution. The resolution will be debated by the full Chamber of Deputies, with a final vote expected Sunday. Rousseff is accused of illegal manipulation of the federal budget. Cardozo is asking the court for an injunction that would void all actions taken so far in the impeachment drive, effectively sending the issue back to square one. A daily poll of members of Congress, conducted by the Estado de São Paulo news agency, showed 334 members supporting impeachment against 127 opposed and 52 undecided. A two-thirds vote, or 342, is needed for impeachment to pass the 513-member lower house of Congress.
Link to government news agency release
More Testimonials