Brazilian President Michel Temer Again Survives Charges of Corruption to Stagger on Politically

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Accused yet again of conspiracy and obstruction of justice, on Oct. 25, 2017, Brazilian President Michel Temer found his political fate once more in the hands of the Chamber of Deputies, which had to vote on whether or not to accept the charges against him. For Brazil’s Supreme Court to investigate the president, 342 of the 513 lawmakers in the Chamber must sign off. If fewer than 342 vote to accept the charges, the accusation must be dropped, and the president can only be prosecuted after leaving office. This was the second time in months that charges were brought against the president in the lower house of the Brazilian Congress. Surprising no one, the deputies once again declined to act. Temer’s many critics noted that he offered lawmakers (a large percentage of whom are also under investigation for corruption) significant incentives to stand with him, and that these incentives were clearly bribes. Few observers were optimistic about the short-term prognosis for Brazil’s walking-dead political system.

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