Dilma Rousseff, the suspended president of Brazil, appeared before the Senate on Monday to make a final appeal to lawmakers before they vote on whether to remove her from office. In her speech [text, in Portuguese], Dilma claimed she is innocent of the accusations against her and that the evidence against her is only a pretext to overthrow a legitimate government. She criticized the government of the acting president, Michel Temer, for ignoring women and minorities in the ministries. Further, she referred to her impeachment as unlawful, a misuse of power, and a blow to democracy and to social progress of the last 13 years. She also made references to the years she spent jailed under military rule. If lawmakers vote to remove Rousseff, Temer would finish the term [Bloomberg report] as president.

Brazil’s political establishment has been in turmoil as many powerful politicians have been brought to the center of embarrassing corruption investigation and trials. Earlier this month, the Senate of Brazil officially indicted [JURIST report] President Dilma Rousseff, marking the beginning of an impeachment trial against the embattled president. Also earlier this month, a Brazilian senate committee voted [JURIST report] 14-5 to continue impeachment proceedings against the suspended president who is charged with failing to “comply with tax and budget laws on the issues of additional credit decrees.” Last month, a Brazilian judge announced [JURIST report] that former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will stand trial for obstruction of justice. In June, the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights reported [JURIST report] that Brazil must place more emphasis on remedying and preventing business-related human right violations.