Brazil lower house resumes session on Temer charges

A special lower house committee in Brazil's lower house is slated to resume the session on the corruption charges against President Michel Temer Thursday (Jul 13). After nearly 14 hours of discussion, congress members suspended the sitting in the small hours today and pledged to resume proceedings later this morning.

Throughout the day yesterday (12), close to 70 congress members uttered an opinion regarding the report drawn up by Deputy Sergio Zveiter, of the ruling Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), arguing for the admissibility of the allegations against the president. Another 25 people are expected to speak in the morning and afternoon today.

After this stage is over, Zveiter and Temer's defense speak once again and the deputy's report may be brought to vote. If proceedings transpire as expected, the report is likely to be reviewed some time this afternoon. Zveiter may also ask to review his own vote, which would require the committee to call a new session for final deliberations.

The corruption charges targeting the president were filed by the prosecutor-general and must be approved by the Chamber of Deputies, as the Brazilian lower house of Congress is called, first in a vote by the committee, then a plenary vote. The chair of the committee sought to give all 66 full members a chance to speak, as well as their substitutes, in addition to 40 deputies from outside the committee—20 of whom for and 20 against the admissibility of the case.

Temer is accused of using his position as head of the Executive to pocket over $155 thousand in bribes through the aide of his adviser, Rodrigo Rocha Loures. The amount is believed to have been offered by Joesley Batista, owner of meatpacking giant JBS, who was brought under investigation as part of Operation Car Wash.

The president's counsel argues that the prosecution lacks concrete evidence and denied any wrongdoing by Temer, who called the allegations “a piece of fiction” and questioned the work of the prosecutor.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira