Rousseff decided to attend final impeachment trial in the Senate

Suspended President Dilma Rousseff decided to attend the final impeachment trial in the Senate as an attempt to prevent her definitive removal from office. According to Rousseff's spokesperson, she is waiting Senate President Renan Calheiros and Chief Supreme Court Justice Ricardo Lewandowski to set the date for it. Levandowski will chair the sessions, on which the suspended president's political future will be decided.

The Senate trial is expected to begin on August 25, at 9 am. On the session addressed to Rousseff's hearing, she shall respond to senators' questions and underline the arguments presented by her defense against the charges of breaking budget laws. The complaints were filed due to three presidential decrees issued to open additional credits and transactions with state banks in 2015.

According to the plaintiff, the decrees violated the current fiscal target and have not been authorized by Congress. The defense argues that the documents were based on 2015 Annual Budget Law and that the president had no intention to break the law, she only followed technical and legal recommendations from other agencies.

On Wednesday (Aug. 17), when he arriving at the Senate to meet with Lewandowski and party leaders, Renan Calheiros told reporters he expects the suspended president's impeachment trial to end in four days. To be definitely removed from office, 54 votes, out of 81 senators—two-thirds of lawmakers—are necessary for Rousseff's conviction.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta