Brazil's embattled president hopes he can convince congress to back him
Michel Temer's meetings with the defence minister and military commanders come amid calls for his head in Brazil’s explosive new graft scandal
Brasilia — Brazil’s Michel Temer hoped to save his presidency on Friday by persuading the corruption-riddled congress to back him, despite growing calls for his head in the country’s explosive new graft scandal. His office said he would start the day by meeting his defence minister, Raul Jungmann, and military commanders at the presidential complex. The agenda appeared to be designed to underline the centre-right president’s insistence on maintaining authority. On Thursday, Temer emphatically refused to step down after the Supreme Court authorised an investigation against him. He is accused of having given his blessing to payments meant to keep the former speaker of the lower house, Eduardo Cunha, from spilling secrets while he is in prison for taking millions of dollars in bribes. The hush money allegations left Temer teetering barely a year after he took power in controversial circumstances, replacing his impeached predecessor, leftist president Dilma Rousseff. He now faces eight ...
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