Opposition in the lower house of Congress needed 342 of the 513 votes, or a two thirds majority, to send Rousseff to the Senate, which now has to reach a decision on whether to open a trial.
There was jubilation and cheering from the opposition at the 342nd vote, countered by furious jeering from Rousseff allies. This crisis is coming just months before the Rio Olympics.
Outside Congress, where tens of thousands of people were watching giant TV screens, the split was echoed on a mass scale -- with opposition supporters partying and Rousseff loyalists in despair.
Police were on hand to curtail any form of violence or disturbance and the rival camps were separated by a long metal wall.
If Rousseff is impeached by the Senate, Vice President Michel Temer -- who abandoned Rousseff to become a key opponent -- will assume power.
No comments:
Post a Comment