Brazil's Supreme Court admits charges against President Temer

Brazil’s Supreme Court decided on Wednesday to accept the charges of obstruction of justice and criminal associations against President Michel Temer.

The charges were presented last Friday by Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot on his last day in office. The president’s lawyers then asked the Supreme Court for a full suspension of the case.

However, the Supreme Court decided against that and sent the case to the lower house of Congress.

Raquel Dodge, the new prosecutor-general, expressed her approval of the Supreme Court’s decision.

“The law is clear. There is no place to block the viability of the charges before the house’s decision,” she said, adding that the defense will have time to make their appeals if the lower house takes the case.

Under Brazilian law, for the president to be submitted to trial during his mandate, the lower house must admit the charges.

In order for the charges to be admitted in the lower house, a two-third majority vote is needed.

If the charges are admitted, the president will be immediately suspended from office for 180 days, awaiting trial.

If not, the case is suspended until the end of Temer’s term, when the Supreme Court is allowed to submit him to trial.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)