Brazil President Dilma Rousseff loses crucial impeachment vote in Congress

In Brazil, President Dilma Rousseff lost a decisive impeachment vote in the lower house of Congress today. She appeared almost certain to be forced from office in a move that would end 13 years of leftist Workers' Party rule. As thousands of pro- and anti-impeachment protesters demonstrated outside Congress, the leader of the Workers Party in the lower house conceded defeat with the vote standing at 314 votes in favor to just 110 votes against sending Rousseff for



trial in the Senate on charges of manipulating budget accounts. Rousseff needed 172 votes out of 513 to derail the impeachment process, but wasn’t able to muster enough support.

If the Senate agrees to go ahead with the impeachment, as seems likely, Rousseff would be suspended from her post and be replaced by Vice President Michel Temer as acting President pending her trial. Temer would serve out Rousseff's term until 2018 if she is found guilty.