Brazilian president takes stand during impeachment trial

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.
(Image credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is defending herself before the nation's Senate on Monday during her impeachment trial, following accusations she illegally tinkered with the budget to hide the national deficit and, in doing so, hurt the economy. Rousseff has claimed the allegations are entirely false and are promoted by corrupt lawmakers.

During her defense, Rousseff reiterated that she is innocent of committing a crime and said her conscience is "absolutely clean." She also touted her popularity and record as a resistance fighter, the BBC reports.

The impeachment vote is scheduled for Tuesday, when 54 of 81 senators would have to vote in favor of her impeachment for it to be successful. Brazilian paper Folha de São Paulo reports that so far, 52 senators are in favor of impeachment, 18 against, and 11 could go either way.

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If Rousseff is indeed impeached, acting President Michel Temer will serve out the remainder of Rousseff's term, which ends December 2018.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.