ILLICIT DONATIONS
Why Brazilian leader Michel Temer is unlikely to take the fall
Brasilia — The head of Brazil’s top electoral authority said on Wednesday that President Michel Temer would not necessarily lose power if his 2014 election was annulled on charges of illegal campaign financing because he was not the head of the ticket. A federal judge is expected to recommend the annulment in the coming months following testimony from executives of engineering group Odebrecht alleging 300-million reais ($96m) in illicit donations to the campaign, in which Temer was the vice-presidential running mate to Dilma Rousseff. Centrist Temer took over the presidency following the impeachment of the left-leaning Rousseff in May for breaking budgetary rules. If he can stay in power it could allow him to press on with fiscal reforms and austerity policies that have raised chances the country will emerge from a deep recession this year. Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes, who heads the Supreme Electoral Tribunal overseeing the case, said a first ruling by the federal judge was ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.