Brazil: Lower house speaker to appeal his suspension
Deputy Eduardo Cunha (PMDB), who was ordered by Supreme Court Justice Teori Zavascki to step aside as speaker and member of the Chamber of Deputies, said he is going to appeal against the ruling, issued this morning (May 5). He is meeting with his lawyers and fellow deputies at the official residence of the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.
According aides at Cunha's office, he will remain at the official speaker's residence until the Supreme Court rules on another lawsuit seeking his removal later today. The case was filed by the Sustainability Network (REDE) party, which wants him to step down as speaker claiming that, as a defendant, he ought not to be the next in line of presidential succession.
Cunha was notified of his suspension at around 7:30am today. The order to suspend him was issued granting a request from Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot in December.
In his petition, Janot argued that Cunha was misusing his position as lower house speaker to harass deputies and interfere with an ethical misconduct proceeding seeking his removal.
Security was stepped up to guard the entrance of Cunha's official residence, where a crowd of journalists and protesters awaits.
Translated by Mayra Borges
Fonte: Brazil: Lower house speaker to appeal his suspension
