Brazil's
biggest party announced on Tuesday it is pulling its members from the
governing coalition, dealing a major blow to embattled President Dilma
Rousseff.
The Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) decided at a
leadership meeting that its six remaining ministers in Rousseff's
cabinet, as well as all other party members with government
appointments, must resign or face ethics proceedings.
READ MORE: Rousseff faces impeachment, coalition collapse
The break sharply raises the odds Rousseff will be impeached by
Congress in a matter of months, or even weeks, which would put Vice
President Michel Temer, leader of the PMDB, in the presidential seat.
'Uphill battle'
Rousseff is embroiled in corruption allegations and accusations that
she manipulated economic information - all of which she denies.
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Al Jazeera's Gabriel Elizondo, reporting from the capital Brasilia,
said the PMDB's decision was an "absolutely huge setback" for Rousseff.
"[PMDB] was her key ally party in her coalition, and with the entire
party now saying they are breaking away from Rousseff’s ruling
coalition, it basically signals that her coalition is
crumbling," Elizondo said.
"This really sets into motion a whole new phase in this impeachment
process with Dilma Rousseff now facing an even higher and harder uphill
battle to try and save her presidency."
Impeachment process
Rousseff is struggling to save her presidency amid the worst economic
recession in a generation and the widening fraud investigation that
started at state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro.
On Monday, the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) filed a legal request
to impeach the president for obstructing justice and fiscal accounting
tricks.
READ MORE: Rallies in Brazil call for Rousseff's removal
Rousseff already faces an impeachment process over the alleged
manipulation of government accounts that opposition parties maintain
helped her win re-election narrowly in 2014 by allowing her to boost
public spending.
The second request by the bar association, which represents one
million lawyers, also involved Rousseff granting international football
body FIFA tax-exempt status during the 2014 World Cup.
In reaction to the claims, Tourism Minister Henrique Eduardo Alves
turned in a resignation letter on the same day, becoming the first
prominent PMDB minister to step down from Rousseff's government.
Our correspondent said Tuesday's PMDB decision has now made it
extremely difficult for Rousseff to gather the number of votes required -
171 - to block her impeachment.
"Right now, her people are huddled around literally counting votes," Elizondo said.
"Even before this party broke from her coalition, it was going to be a
very tight impeachment battle and a very tight vote in Congress. Now,
it's not with total certainty but pretty close that she is going to have
a very difficult time trying to overcome this impeachment."
The president has repeatedly said she is not going to step down and has likened the moves to impeach her to a coup.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
copy http://www.aljazeera.com/news
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