In letter, Dilma Rousseff calls for presidential election referendum

Suspended President Dilma Rousseff released this Tuesday (Aug. 16) a letter to Brazilian people calling for a referendum on early presidential elections.

In the letter, Rousseff addresses the political crisis and defends that the population shall decide on holding a new presidential election. "To fully restore democracy, it requires that people decide which is the best way to improve governance," she said, when reading the document addressed to society and senators during a press conference at the Alvorada palace, her official residence. The suspended president just read the document and has not answered questions.

In the document entitled "Message to Senate and Brazilian people," she reiterates that she has not committed any crime of responsibility and that she considers the impeachment proceedings against her a "coup." Rousseff says that if the Senate decides to definitely suspend her from the presidency, "the democratic order will be violated, based on an impeachment with no crime of responsibility."

In the letter, Dilma also admits her mistakes during her administration and pledges changes in economic policies if she takes the presidency over.

The president also said that the proceedings against her are unfair because they were "initiated against an honest and innocent person."

According to her, Rousseff supports the fight against corruption and considers it "non-negotiable".

"I have no secret accounts abroad, never embezzled a single penny from public property, nor received bribes from anyone," she said, referring to suspended deputy and former lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha, who accepted and initiated the impeachment proceedings.

The suspended president called a press conference at her official residence to explain the arguments presented in the letter, which were discussed in the past few days with her allies.

Last week, 59 senators voted for approving the report recommending the continuity of her process. Thus, Dilma Rousseff will come to trial for the crime of responsibility on August 25. To reject the impeachment, at least 28 votes are necessary, out of 81 senators. The suspended president has not reported whether she will personally make her defense at the Senate.

Rousseff attended the press conference with the following former ministers: Eleonora Menicucci (Special Secretariat for Policies on Women's Rights), Jaques Wagner (Chief of Staff), Ricardo Berzoini (Government Secretariat) and Mercadante (Education).

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta