Demonstrators gathered at
Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach on Sunday for a rally against
Brazilian President Michel Temer that will feature musical performances
from Brazilian artists, including Caetano Veloso and Criolo.
The
demonstration was organized by Rio Pelas Diretas Ja, or Rio for Direct
Elections Now, which promoted the #DiretasJa hashtag on social media to
call for direct elections to replace the unpopular president, who is
mired by corruption allegations, which have plunged Latin America's
largest economy into even greater political chaos.
Temer took over the presidency last year after then-president Dilma Rousseff was removed over her handling of budget figures.
However,
Temer could also be forced out if an electoral court annuls the 2014
re-election of Rousseff and Temer, her running mate, on accusations the
ticket was funded by illegal campaign donations.
Brazilian
President Michel Temer is seen during a meeting with businessmen at
Planalto Palace in Brasilia, on May 25, 2017. (Photo by AFP)
Temer, who denies any wrongdoing, has said he will not resign.
If
Temer is forced from office by the electoral court ruling, Brazilian
law mandates that Congress - where scores of lawmakers are ensnared in
the corruption investigation - must choose an interim leader within 30
days.
Leftist opponents, led by Rousseff's Workers Party, which
had ruled for 13 years until she was removed, are calling for early
general elections, which are unlikely because holding them would require
Congress to amend the constitution.
A recent opinion poll showed
the Temer administration's approval rating has sunk to 5 percent, making
it Brazil's most unpopular government since the end of military rule
three decades ago.
0 comments:
Post a Comment