Brazil’s Rousseff facing calls for impeachment

World Today

Just three months after being re-elected president in the closest election in modern Brazilian history, Dilma Rousseff is facing calls for impeachment in the wake of a scandal over alleged corruption at the state-owned energy company, Petrobras.
Tens of thousands protesters called for ouster on Sunday.

CCTV’s Lucrecia Franco filed this report from Rio de Janeiro.

Highlights:

  • In Rio de Janeiro, protesters blocked Copacabana beach calling for President Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment-angry over a corruption scandal at the state-run oil giant Petrobras, and a weakening economy.
  • On Friday, smaller counter-demonstrations in 14 Brazilian states showed support for Rousseff.
  • Accusations that the state-owned oil company, Petrobras, funneled kickbacks to Rousseff’s party and her 2010 election campaign has tainted Rousseff, who chaired Petrobras for seven years. She hasn’t been directly implicated in the scandal and remains defiant.
  • More protests against Rousseff are expected as the Petrobras probe widens, but experts say an impeachment is unlikely, because even Rousseff’s opponents agree it would bring the country to a halt.

Natalie Alhonte talks about the Petrobas scandal

For more on the protests in Brazil, CCTV spoke to Natalie Alhonte. She is the associate director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center in Washington, and an expert on the region.