116-453: Recent elections The impeachment of Dilma Rousseff , the 36th president of Brazil , began on 2 December 2015 with a petition for her impeachment being accepted by Eduardo Cunha , then president of the Chamber of Deputies , and continued into late 2016. Dilma Rousseff , then more than 12 months into her second four-year term, was charged with criminal administrative misconduct and disregard for
232-551: A put option that required Petrobras to buy out the other half, then won the arbitration case over the deal. In May 2015, Cerveró was convicted of money laundering and sentenced to five years in jail. In April 2021, Rousseff was acquitted by the Brazilian Court of Accounts in a lawsuit over the purchase of the Pasadena refinery. The court considered that Rousseff had no responsibility in the purchase, as well as other former members of
348-460: A consensus when creating policies. Cash transfer programs had previously existed in the Cardoso administration - Bolsa Escola, Bolsa Alimentação, Auxílio Gás. Most of these early programs faced internal organization challenges. Bolsa Escola was superior to other programs because it applied to all citizens and both supported and was associated with education. During Lula's first administration, his goal
464-515: A government contract at this time. The government would pass the funds necessary to finance the programs through the Secretariat of the National Treasury [ pt ] every month. They were obliged to transfer the equivalent values for the equalization of interest rates, expenditures and legal transfers covered under the contract. But the government had not made these reimbursements, and
580-523: A long problem in Brazil, and helps to dissociate the receipt of money from individual politicians or political parties. The names of every person enlisted in the program and the amount given to them can be found online at the Portal da Transparência , the program's website. Brazil has a strong federal system defined as the resource base of states, the power of governors, the articulation of subnational interests within
696-439: A lot for the needy population. What is more important is that it promotes a virtuous circle . If there is more money in circulation, the local market heats up, the purchasing power is increased and the effects spread throughout the whole economy. But only to give money is not enough.(...)" The program has clearly contributed to improvements in Brazil's fight against poverty, according to research promoted by some universities and
812-485: A president be a native-born citizen of Brazil, at least 35 years of age, a resident of Brazil, in full exercise of their electoral rights, a registered voter, and a member of a political party ( write-in or independent candidates are prohibited). The president of Brazil serves for a term of four years, and may be re-elected for a single consecutive term. This two-term limit, however, is not for life—a former president who has served for two consecutive terms may run for
928-456: A presidential term, given that, according to the Constitution , the vice-president becomes acting president during the president's travels abroad. A sitting president (or governor or mayor) who wishes to run for a different office, regardless of the intended jurisdiction or branch of government, must resign from office at least six months before election day . The possibility of reelection
1044-492: A quick handshake. A banner held by deputies Eduardo Bolsonaro and Jair Bolsonaro (who would be elected President of Brazil in 2018) had written the phrase: "Brazil can't tolerate you anymore. Get out". A special committee formed in the Chamber of Deputies voted on 11 April 2016 on the petition's admissibility, at the same time that 37 of the 65 committee members were also facing charges of corruption or other crimes. Testimony by
1160-483: A reduction in suicide rates between 2004 and 2012 even when controlling for socio-economic, demographic and social welfare factors. It was also shown that the reduction in suicide rates increased when high coverage (equal to or greater than 70%) was maintained for multiple years. According to a 2023 study, 64% of the poor kids and teens (7 to 16 year-old) who were enrolled in Bolsa Familia back in 2005 had already left
1276-511: A simple majority to confirm that the charges were well-founded. After that, the debate over conviction or acquittal began, requiring a two-thirds majority of the Senate, which proceedings were chaired by Ricardo Lewandowski . This eventually resulted in Rousseff's permanent removal, the appeal of which was denied by the court. Rousseff had 20 days to present a preliminary written defense for the trial in
SECTION 10
#17328844551141392-488: A sitting president could not be investigated while in office for crimes committed prior to election. Rousseff was formally impeached on 17 April 2016. On 12 May, the Senate voted to suspend Rousseff's powers for the duration of the trial , and Vice President Michel Temer became acting president. On 31 August 2016, the Senate removed President Rousseff from office by a 61–20 vote, finding her guilty of breaking Brazil's budget laws; however, she did not receive enough votes from
1508-561: A total of over US$ 20 billion per annum in state aid. In 2011, 26% of the Brazilian population were covered by the program. As of 2020, the program covered 13.8 million families and paid an average of $ 34 per month, in a country where the minimum wage is $ 190 per month. On 30 December 2021, Jair Bolsonaro sanctioned a new cash transfer program, called Auxílio Brasil , formally ending Bolsa Família. However, after Lula's reelection as president of Brazil in 2022, he declared that he would rename
1624-572: A trial then takes place at the Supreme Federal Court . In the case of "crimes of malversation", which must fall into one of seven broad areas and which is defined in more detail in law, a trial takes place at the Federal Senate . During the trial, the vice president exercises executive power. If the trial does not result in a conviction within 180 days, the president resumes office; a conviction results in removal from office and succession by
1740-469: A trip to Brazil in 2005, the former president of the World Bank , Paul Wolfowitz said, "Bolsa Familia has already become a highly praised model of effective social policy. Countries around the world are drawing lessons from Brazil’s experience and are trying to produce the same results for their own people." Certain sectors of the Brazilian society, both among the conservatives and the progressives, oppose
1856-448: A work plan for the trial. The next meeting was scheduled for 2 June, to analyze new deadlines. The committee assessed Anastasia's report and work plan deadlines, and requests by senators, on 2 June 2016. in a session that lasted over nine hours. Anastasia proposed that final arguments be heard by 7 July. Anastasia ruled against recorded telephone conversation between Machado and Jucá being introduced into evidence, ruling it irrelevant since
1972-474: A year of political battlefield. The President discourse was marked by calls for support new taxes to overcome the crisis, boos from Rousseff opponents, as well as criticism even from her allies. Received by the then Presidents of Senate ( Renan Calheiros ), Supreme Federal Court ( Ricardo Lewandowski ), and Chamber of Deputies ( Eduardo Cunha ), Rousseff kissed the faces of the first two, and with Cunha - who accepted her impeachment request - only greeted with
2088-616: Is a ranch located on the outskirts of the capital and is used as a country retreat by the president. The Palácio Rio Negro in Petrópolis , Rio de Janeiro, is a summer retreat of the president, although used rarely. The official residence of the vice president is the Jaburu Palace in Brasília . In the 2000s, the federal government decided to establish Regional Offices of the Presidency of
2204-456: Is known as the thirteenth salary ), the president receives 13 payments per year, resulting in an annual salary of R$ 402,151.10. The Palácio do Planalto in Brasília is the official workplace of the president and the Palácio da Alvorada their official residence. The president is entitled to use its staff and facilities. The Residência Oficial do Torto , popularly known as Granja do Torto ,
2320-474: Is needed to pay for food. In a survey of Bolsa Familia recipients, 82.4% reported eating better; additionally, it was reported to increase the incomes of the poorer families by about 25%. Recipients of Bolsa Familia were found to have 6 percent higher food expenditure and 9.4% total energy availability than non-recipients. In 2018, it was found that an increase in the Bolsa Família coverage was associated with
2436-582: Is no wrongful act committed by me, nor are there any suspicions that I have misused public money [...] The reasons given for this request [of impeachment] are inconsistent and unfounded. I have not committed any illicit act. My government performed all acts according to the principle of responsibility towards the public property, [...] I've committed no illicit act, there is no suspicion hanging over me of any misuse of public money. I don't have any offshore bank accounts, I have no hidden assets. [...] I would never accept any kind of bargain, much less those that threaten
SECTION 20
#17328844551142552-491: Is reputed to have played a role in his victory in the general election of 2006 . Bolsa Família was the largest conditional cash transfer program in the world, though the Mexican Oportunidades was the first nationwide program of this kind. Bolsa Família has been mentioned as one factor contributing to the reduction of poverty in Brazil, which fell 27.7% during the first term in the administration of Lula. In 2006,
2668-454: Is the 39th and current president. He was sworn in on 1 January 2023. As a republic with a presidential executive, Brazil grants significant powers to the president, who effectively controls the executive branch, represents the country abroad, and appoints the cabinet and, with the approval of the Senate , the judges for the Supreme Federal Court . The president is also the commander-in-chief of
2784-671: Is the current social welfare program of the Government of Brazil , part of the Fome Zero network of federal assistance programs. Bolsa Família provided financial aid to poor Brazilian families. In order to be eligible, families had to ensure that children attend school and get vaccinated . If they exceeded the total of permitted school absences, they were dropped from the program and their funds were suspended. The program attempted to both reduce short-term poverty by direct cash transfers and fight long-term poverty by increasing human capital among
2900-600: The Datafolha Institute in April 2016, showing that 61% of Brazilians believed that Rousseff should be impeached. A total of 37 requests for the impeachment of Rousseff had been presented to the Chamber of Deputies from 2012 till her actual impeachment. Of these 23 were archived and did not proceed. The remaining 14 proceeded, but only one was accepted by Cunha. Submitted by former congressman and attorney Hélio Bicudo and attorneys Miguel Reale Júnior and Janaína Paschoal , it
3016-713: The Free Brazil group and Come to the Street Movement [ pt ] ) joined Bicudo's request. Congressmen supportive of the impeachment also organized a petition in its favor, which garnered the signatures of two million Brazilians. Documents presented to the House attempted to implicate Rousseff in the controversy uncovered by Operation Car Wash, citing a failure to investigate corruption allegations against former President Luiz Lula da Silva , in addition to those and other allegations against herself. The six decrees which were
3132-510: The National Congress under great pressure to begin impeachment proceedings. Rousseff won the 2014 general election with 51.64% of the votes in one of the most contentious presidential elections in the country's history. Sworn in on 1 January 2015, Rousseff began her second term weakened by corruption allegations as well as the 2014–2016 Brazilian economic recession . On 15 March 2015, protests began, gathering millions of Brazilians across
3248-508: The PT - PMDB coalition ticket with Temer. On 9 June 2017, the court rejected, by a 4–3 vote, the allegations of campaign finance violations by the Rousseff-Temer ticket during the 2014 electoral campaign. As a result of that judgement, President Temer remained in office and both Rousseff and Temer have retained their political rights. Graft allegedly occurred during Rousseff's term as chair of
3364-707: The Paulista Avenue ; the building also houses Banco do Brasil's regional headquarters in São Paulo. The presidency of the republic also maintains regional offices in Porto Alegre and in Belo Horizonte . For ground travel, the president uses the presidential state car , which is an armored version of the 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Max Drive . A 1952 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith is used by the president on ceremonial occasions, such as Independence Day commemorations, state visits and
3480-654: The armed forces . Presidents in Brazil have significant lawmaking powers, exercised either by proposing laws to the National Congress or by using Medidas Provisórias ( provisional measures ), an instrument with the force of law that the president can enact in cases of urgency and necessity except to make changes to some areas of law (provisional measures cannot be used to change criminal law or electoral law). A provisional measure comes into effect immediately, before Congress votes on it, and remains in force for up to 60 days unless Congress votes to rescind it. The 60-day period can be extended once, up to 120 days. If Congress, on
3596-526: The inauguration of the president-elect. The presidential aircraft is a military version of an Airbus A330-200 , called KC-30. Two modified Embraer 190 jets, air force designation VC-2, are used for short and medium range presidential travel. When the president is on board, the aircraft receive the call sign " Brazilian Air Force One ". Two modified military versions of the Eurocopter Super Puma , air force designation VH-34 , are currently used as
Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff - Misplaced Pages Continue
3712-483: The opposition confronting Rousseff after the 2014 elections calling for a recount and her disputed campaign accounts, culminating in the impeachment process, had been other major factors in the destabilization of the government. However, political scientist Luciana Veiga stated that, at that time, the process was benefiting Rousseff, who was now free from blackmail and could potentially reorganize her government. Veiga believed that Cunha could be removed from office and that
3828-643: The president of the Federative Republic of Brazil ( Portuguese : presidente da República Federativa do Brasil ) or simply the President of the Republic , is the head of state and head of government of Brazil . The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces . The presidential system was established in 1889, upon
3944-709: The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). An ex ante econometric evaluation of Bolsa Escola found a significant increase in school attendance rates and decrease in the number of children involved in child labor . The World Bank, which provided a loan to assist the Brazilian government in managing the Bolsa Família Program, declares that "Although the program is relatively young, some results are already apparent: (...) contributions to improved education outcomes, and impacts on children’s growth, food consumption, and diet quality". A study by
4060-525: The Brazilian National Congress, and the distribution of government across three levels of government. Hence, state governors are able to constrain the central government. This is allowed because of a weak, fragmented, institutionalized party system. Fragmentation makes it difficult for a non-consensual form to reach the central level, creating a policy challenge for national leaders. Fragmentation also makes it difficult for national leaders to reach
4176-713: The Center for Political Studies of the Getulio Vargas Foundation published a study showing that there was a sharp reduction in the number of people in poverty in Brazil between 2003 and 2005. Other factors included an improvement in the job market and real gains in the minimum wage . About twelve million Brazilian families received funds from Bolsa Família. The government cash transfer program in South Africa , for comparison, had 17.5 million individual beneficiaries in 2018 (over 75% of its labour force of 23 million) receiving
4292-608: The Chamber of Deputies, Eduardo Cunha, was investigated in Operation Car Wash for allegedly receiving bribes and keeping secret Swiss bank accounts. The Council of Ethics and Parliamentary Decorum of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil filed a complaint against him, putting him at risk of losing his seat. The council was responsible for judging and applying penalties to deputies in cases of non-compliance with norms. Rumors emerged about attempts between Cunha's party (PMDB) and Rousseff's party to reach an agreement: that she would archive
4408-511: The Council of Ethics in exchange for approval of the re-introduction of the CPMF tax (Provisional Tax on Financial Transactions), which was a wish from the government. At a news conference on 2 December 2015, she said that she would never accept or agree to any kind of corrupt bargain. I have received with indignation the decision by the head of the lower chamber to [launch] the impeachment process. There
4524-519: The PMDB. Published by the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo , the conversation convinced Cardozo that the two were trying to prevent the investigation from widening, due to the risk to both of being caught up in it, and suggested that Rousseff's impeachment could have been part of an agreement aimed at preventing (and possibly later stopping) the Operation Car Wash investigations. Jucá's lawyer said that his client never thought to interfere in Operation Car Wash and that
4640-563: The Petrobras controversy, ruling that a sitting president could not be investigated for actions taken before assuming office as had been argued by Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot. Rousseff was also accused of fiscal pedaling in her administration—an accounting maneuver to give the false impression that more money was received than was spent. The government allegedly failed to fund public and private banks that managed public payments, including social assistance programs like Bolsa Família , forcing
4756-490: The President Fernando Henrique Cardoso federalized the program, increasing to attend approximately 8 million people. In 2003, Lula formed Bolsa Família by combining Bolsa Escola with Bolsa Alimentação and Cartão Alimentação and Auxílio Gas (a transfer to compensate for the end of federal gas subsidies), all part of Fernando Henrique Cardoso social program called "Rede de Proteção Social". This also meant
Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff - Misplaced Pages Continue
4872-469: The Republic in certain key Brazilian cities. Those regional offices are not presidential residences, but they are fully staffed offices ready to receive the president and his ministers at any time, and they function as a presidential workplace when the president is in those cities. The first regional office of the presidency was established in the city of São Paulo, and is located at the Banco do Brasil building at
4988-556: The Republic of the United States of Brazil . On 15 March 1967, the country's official name was changed to Federative Republic of Brazil . On that same date, Arthur da Costa e Silva was sworn in as President succeeding Castello Branco. Since Costa e Silva, therefore, all presidents of Brazil have borne the full title of President of the Federative Republic of Brazil . Bolsa Fam%C3%ADlia Bolsa Família ( Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈbowsɐ fɐˈmiʎɐ] , Family Allowance )
5104-467: The Scholarship management system To the family and identifying its target audience, as well as developing and monitoring a scientific method to evaluate the effects of the program, and strengthening the basic institutional aspects of its administration. The World Bank studies reveal that, although the program is very new, positive measurable results have already been recorded in the consumption of food, in
5220-501: The Senate and Rousseff's lawyer José Eduardo Cardozo did so on 1 June 2016. His 370-page filing said that the president had not committed the alleged crimes and that Rousseff's impeachment "was solely and exclusively aimed at ending Operation Car Wash." Cardozo submitted as evidence transcripts of a recorded telephone conversation between José Sérgio Machado [ pt ] , former president of Petrobras subsidiary Transpetro , and Senator Romero Jucá , an influential politician in
5336-544: The Senate to be disqualified from her political rights. Accordingly, Temer was sworn in as the 37th president of Brazil. Temer was accused by an Odebrecht executive of soliciting campaign donations in 2014 for his party. He faced trial along with Rousseff in the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) in a complaint filed by Aécio Neves , the candidate narrowly defeated by Rousseff in the 2014 presidential runoff , over irregularities in their campaign funds—Rousseff had shared
5452-479: The Senate vote on impeachment, then Vice President Michel Temer served as acting president. But before that, on 5 May 2016, Teori Zavascki, judge of the Supreme Federal Court ruled that Cunha must step down as president of the Chamber, because he faced a corruption trial. The decision was later endorsed by all eleven judges of the Court but nevertheless did not affect the process of impeachment. On 12 September 2016, Cunha
5568-638: The Superior Electoral Court Judge Herman Benjamin, that PMDB and PT slush funds received payments of R$ 150 million (US$ 48 million) from Odebrecht's construction conglomerate for the 2014 re-election campaign in 2014, and that at least a third of the money originated from corrupt practices. Odebrecht was jailed in June 2015 for corruption uncovered by Operation Car Wash. A CNT/MDA poll published on 8 June 2016, indicated that only 11.3% of Brazilians approved while 28% disapproved of
5684-453: The UNDP's International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth found that over 80% of the Bolsa Familia benefits go to families in poverty (making under half the minimum wage per capita), thus most of the benefits go to the poor. Bolsa Familia was also found to have been responsible for about 20% of the drop in inequality in Brazil since 2001, which is welcome in one of the most unequal countries on
5800-654: The Workers' Party, he said he would rather forgo their three votes in the Council of Ethics. She lied on national television network and this is very serious. If she had not participated directly I would not speak. Professor Leonardo Avritzer of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais told Agência Brasil in December 2015 that the political crisis was tied to Rousseff's inability to negotiate with Congress, and that Brazil's fragmented political system (and many political parties ) had created an ungovernable government. According to him,
5916-579: The ability to bypass state involvement, there are additional enabling factors such as the interaction of a non-majoritarian system of government and fiscal incentives for central-local collaborations. Because of these factors, Bolsa Família helped reduce hunger and poverty. The dynamic relationship between the federal center and municipalities enabled a direct relationship between citizens and the government. The hardening budget constraints put in place by Cardoso's administration to stabilize macroeconomic performance gave municipalities an incentive to collaborate with
SECTION 50
#17328844551146032-455: The acting government of President Temer. For 30.2% of respondents, Temer's government is ordinary, while 30.5% gave no answer. The survey also showed that 46.6% of Brazilians believed that the corruption in Temer's government could equal that in Rousseff's government. 28.3% believed that corruption could be less and the remaining 18.6% estimated that it could be even greater. Regarding the lawfulness of
6148-431: The appeal filed by Cardozo to append the recording of Sérgio Machado, citing a precedent that evidence of that type is confidential until the beginning of a formal investigation. Machado was arrested and introduced the recording of the conversation during his interrogation. The subject under appeal had been discussed in prior decisions of the Court. Lewandowski also denied an appeal by senator Aloysio Nunes , former member of
6264-411: The authors of the request was followed by Rousseff's defense. Meanwhile, street protests both for and against the impeachment occurred throughout the country. The committee eventually voted 38 to 27 for impeachment. After it passed out of committee, the full lower house also voted in favor of impeachment, 367 for and 137 against, with 342 necessary for it to pass (7 abstaining, 2 absent). But similarly to
6380-429: The banks to finance the programs themselves without compensation. The Rousseff Administration's budgeting allegedly used this pedaling to improve its fiscal outcomes and make the surplus for the years 2012 to 2014 appear larger. The Tribunal de Contas da União (TCU), unanimously declared this maneuver a violation of fiscal responsibility. TCU, an auxiliary of the legislative body, has no legal power, but their decision put
6496-664: The board of directors of the state-owned energy company Petrobras between 2003 and 2010. In February 2014, an investigation by the Federal Police , codenamed Operation Car Wash, put Petrobras at the center of "what may be the largest corruption scandal in Brazil's history". On 14 November 2014, police raids in six Brazilian states brought in several prominent Brazilian politicians and businessmen, including some Petrobras directors, who were investigated for "suspicious" contracts worth $ 22 billion. Further investigation also found offshore accounts and art collections held by those involved in
6612-535: The board of directors. According to the Request, the president called the allegations "a kind of coup and merely an attempt to weaken Petrobras". Emphasizing its expertise in the economy and energy sectors, the president stressed the company's financial health. She stepped down from the Petrobras board only in February 2015. Some international companies were encouraged and, thereafter participated in unrealistic bids to drain
6728-469: The central government. Their collaboration helps them meet their required percent that they are legally required to spend on social assistance. Municipalities that adhere to the program sign a covenant with the federal government, which guarantees the program's promotion and availability of public services. The federal center and municipalities’ abilities to collaborate with each other have facilitated Brazil's capability to build an effective welfare policy for
6844-490: The charges against Rousseff were fiscal responsibility crimes and the recording was only an informal conversation and proved nothing in law. Cardozo protested that the facts cited in the recording were a primary question of the investigation, and announced on 3 June that he would appeal the decision to the president of the Supreme Court. The committee approved the work plan and deadlines on 6 June. On 7 June, Lewandowski denied
6960-422: The committee, to reduce the number of witnesses. At 2 June meeting, the committee had established that eight witnesses would be heard for each of the six supplemental budget decrees against Rousseff, both for the prosecution and for the defense, i.e. a total of 48 witnesses for each side, with each decree considered separately. Nunes contended that the six decrees should be considered a single entity, to be added to
7076-457: The concept of money transfers to the poor: The Bolsa Família Program is far from being universally accepted by the Brazilian society. Among the various criticisms it receives, one of the most recurrent is the assertion that it could discourage the search for employment, encouraging laziness. Under this premise, many people would give up trying to find a job, content instead, to live on the Bolsa Família program. The World Bank , however, finds that
SECTION 60
#17328844551147192-409: The contracted banks instead funded the programs using their own capital, capital that the government was obliged to reimburse them for, although no loans had been officially filed. The Fiscal Responsibility Law (Article 36) prohibits members of the federal government who control state financial institutions from borrowing from those institutions that they control. The total balance of these liabilities by
7308-468: The controversy. However, no evidence that Rousseff herself was involved in the Petrobras controversy has been found and she has denied any prior knowledge of the scandal. More than one million Brazilians protested in the streets in March 2015 calling for Rousseff's impeachment. On 5 May 2016, Supreme Court justice Teori Zavascki dismissed counts brought against Rousseff by Senator Delcídio do Amaral based on
7424-447: The country to demand among other things Rousseff's resignation or her impeachment. By June 2015 some polls reported her disapproval rating as high as 68%, the highest for any Brazilian president since the country's redemocratization , and by August 2015 this had risen to 71%. Rousseff's government was accused by the TCU of misconduct in management of public accounts since 2012. The President of
7540-515: The country was officially styled Republic of the United States of Brazil , and from 1937 to 1967 the country was styled simply The United States of Brazil , and thus the full title of the presidents of the Republic from 1891 until 1967—that is, from Deodoro da Fonseca 's inauguration as President (between 1889 and 1891 he served as Head of the Provisional Government) until the end of Humberto Castello Branco 's term in 1967—was President of
7656-401: The country's fragile democracy, believe he is the perpetrator of a coup." A separate proposal sought to impeach Temer, the official process having started on 6 April 2016 when Cunha formed a commission to investigate one impeachment request among the five made against Temer. In March 2017, former Odebrecht Group CEO Marcelo Odebrecht , as part of a plea bargain for leniency, said before
7772-567: The creation of a new Ministry – the Ministério do Desenvolvimento Social e Combate à Fome (Ministry for Social Development and Confronting Hunger). This merger reduced administrative costs and also eased bureaucratic complexity for both the families involved and the administration of the program. In October 2021, the program Auxílio Brasil was announced, with the purpose of replacing Bolsa Família and unify other cash transfer programs in Brazil. The new program will pay $ 71 to 17 million families until
7888-502: The dialogue did not suggest that he did. Jucá, who had been appointed Planning Minister by Temer, also denied ever attempting to obstruct the investigation, and after speaking with Temer on 23 May, said that he had no intention of resigning. However, the next day Jucá stepped down after eleven days in office. On 25 May 2016, Senator Antônio Anastasia , rapporteur of the Special Committee of Impeachment 2016 (CEI 2016), presented
8004-438: The end of 2022. On 30 December 2021, president Jair Bolsonaro sanctioned the new program, formally ending Bolsa Família. Programs employing various types of conditional cash transfer are social policies currently employed in many places in the world to fight and reduce poverty. In the short term, the aim is to mitigate the problems resulting from poverty. In the long term, the goal is to invest in human capital and interrupt
8120-583: The end of August 2014 was R$ 1.74 billion (US$ 740 million). Of the total R$ 7.8 billion (US$ 2.9 billion) spent on subsidies in these programs between 2009 and 2014, only R$ 1.6 billion (US$ 590 million) was transferred by the Government. At the end of 2014, Rousseff sent the Congress PLN 362014, to change the Budgetary Directives Law [ pt ] in order to modify
8236-454: The executive and legislative branches. The central government's ability to bypass twenty-seven powerful governors demonstrates that federalism in Brazil is a three-level game. In addition, state brokers cannot claim credit because it cuts out the intermediaries. Bolsa Família resolved intra-bureaucratic chaos by creating one program controlled by the national executive branch. It reduced administrative costs and facilitated user access. Aside from
8352-450: The family cash transfer program by 2019, contradicting previous criticism that the program's recipients would intentionally fail to find jobs in order to keep their monetary benefits. The "Project Family Grant" of the World Bank , inaugurated in June 2005, collaborates with the Bolsa Familia program, consolidating the various income transfer programs - previously dispersed - reducing their failures and duplication of coverage, strengthening
8468-544: The federal budget in violation of article 85, items V and VI, of the Constitution of Brazil and the Fiscal Responsibility Law, Article 36. The petition also accused Rousseff of criminal responsibility for failing to act on the scandal at the Brazilian national petroleum company, Petrobras , on account of allegations uncovered by the Operation Car Wash investigation, and for failing to distance herself from
8584-568: The four decrees and eight for the "tax pedaling" charge. The prosecution would be entitled to the same number. The decision to reduce the charges was supported by a report produced at the House of Representatives, which considered that two decrees signed by Rousseff without approval of Congress were neutral from a fiscal perspective, once the primary sources and financial expenses listed in the documents were equivalent. The hearings began on 8 June 2016 with four prosecution witnesses. The prosecutors were Janaína Paschoal and Miguel Reale Junior; Rousseff
8700-455: The free functioning of democratic institutions in this country. After this pronouncement by the president, Cunha said Rousseff had lied to the nation when she said she would not participate in any deal and that her government had much to explain to the country. Cunha claimed he was not aware of any negotiations and that he had never met Jaques Wagner , the supposed intermediary in the alleged negotiations with Rousseff. Declaring his opposition to
8816-523: The internet via radio waves, which allows the exchange of data with the Municipalities of more remote locations, even in that there is no electricity or telephone. Brazil is already exporting this technology that it has developed for similar income transfer programs. In August 2007, it signed a technical cooperation agreement with the Dominican Republic. The partnership includes the Brazilian aid in
8932-400: The lawsuit against Cunha if he would refuse to accept the request for her impeachment. When the Workers' Party announced to the Council of Ethics its support for the lawsuit against Cunha, he accepted the impeachment request, allegedly in retaliation. Cunha dismissed that his decision was motivated by personal or political reasons. In his defence, Cunha said that opening the impeachment process
9048-403: The main presidential helicopters. The president may be removed from office using one of two procedures. In either case, two-thirds of the Chamber of Deputies must accept charges against the officeholder ( impeachment ); and if the Senate accepts the investigation, the president is suspended from exercising the functions of office for up to 180 days. In the case of "common criminal offenses",
9164-684: The modernization of the system of registrations of the families and the exchange of information between governmental instances. The students' presence in classes is monitored bimonthly by the MEC and the Ministry of Social Development and Fight against Hunger (MDS). A family that fails to comply with five consecutive times has its benefit permanently canceled. In 2006, Bolsa Familia is estimated to cost about 0.5% of Brazilian GDP and about 2.5% of total government expenditure . It will cover about 11.2 million families, or about 44 million Brazilians. The Bolsa Família
9280-438: The money is used, by families living in rural areas, to buy food. Data from 2014 to 2015 showed that 3.8% of the population (7.6 million people) still earns less than US$ 1 a day, and this is linked to malnutrition, that is still a problem in Brazil and responsible by 4.3 deaths per 100,000 people per year. A system of control and monitoring of the Bolsa Família Program was inaugurated in December 2006, which uses satellites and
9396-573: The necessary legislative authorization, nor targets which complied with the Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal (Fiscal Responsibility Law) and the Annual Budgetary Law [ pt ] . To obtain these additional credits, the target of 2014 was reduced by the end of 2014 by R$ 67 billion (US$ 25 billion) at the request of the president. Rousseff allegedly committed similar crimes of fiscal irresponsibility in 2015. She further issued such decrees in
9512-483: The opposition would try to push the impeachment process of Rousseff in Congress for 2016 in order to mitigate the "electoral ecstasy" and "act of revenge" that were said to be the cause of the impeachment attempt. In CNT/MDA polls conducted in March 2015, only 10.8% of Brazilians approved of Rousseff's government and 59.7% wanted her impeached. By July 2015, the latter number had risen to 62.8%. Similar data were collected by
9628-488: The other hand, votes to approve the provisional measure, it becomes an actual law, with changes decided by the legislative branch. The provisional measure expires at the end of the 60-day period (or the 120-day, in the case of extension), or sooner, if rejected by one of the Houses of Congress. Article 84 of the current Federal Constitution, determines that the president has the power to The Constitution of Brazil requires that
9744-445: The planet. Research promoted by the World Bank shows a significant reduction in child labor exploitation among children benefited by the Bolsa Família program. One positive effect of the program which is not immediately apparent is that it makes a significant impact on the ability of the poorest families to eat. Children in public schools receive one free meal a day—two in the poorest areas—so less of their family's limited income
9860-426: The political alliance of Rousseff-Temer involving donations from the companies implicated in Operation Car Wash. After the Senate vote to suspend Rousseff's presidential powers and duties, subsequent procedure required new citations, new defense, appointing witnesses and producing evidence for preparation of the final report, which first of all had to be reviewed by a committee and then the entire Senate, each requiring
9976-470: The poor through conditional cash transfers . It also worked to give free education to children who couldn't afford to go to school, to show the importance of education. In 2008, The Economist described Bolsa Família as an "anti-poverty scheme invented in Latin America [which] is winning converts worldwide." The program was a centerpiece of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva 's social policy and
10092-522: The poor. The existence of a power sharing logic in Brazil enabled a widespread means tested social program that was able to achieve success nationwide. Surveys conducted by the Federal Government among Bolsa Família's beneficiaries indicate that the money is spent, in order of priority, on food; school supplies; clothing; and shoes. A study conducted by The Federal University of Pernambuco , using sophisticated statistical methods, inferred that 87% of
10208-413: The powerful, Brazilian multi-billionaire Camargo Correa Group ), when asked in an interview if she agreed that Bolsa Família is just a form of charity, answered as follows: "I travel a lot around Brazil and see many places where the average monthly income is BRL 50 (approximately US$ 26.32). In these places the Bolsa Familia comes in and adds an extra BRL 58. It makes all the difference in the world and adds
10324-433: The presidency again after at least one term has elapsed. A vice president or other officer who succeeds to the presidency or who serves, albeit briefly, as acting president during a certain presidential term may subsequently be elected or reelected to the presidency only once, as the consecutive term limit already applies. In practice, Brazilian vice-presidents almost always serve as acting president at some point during
10440-537: The presidency should call new elections for president. However, holding new elections would only be possible with a 3/5 majority in both houses of Congress. Alternatively, both could have been removed from office, depending on the outcome of a lawsuit filed in the Superior Electoral Court by the PSDB , party of Aécio Neves, the defeated candidate in the 2014 presidential elections, whose suit alleged electoral crime by
10556-674: The president and vice president run on the same ticket but have constitutionally separate terms. Michel Temer, who was president of the Chamber during the Fernando Henrique Cardoso presidency from 1995 to 2003, is a member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), which announced it was running against the Rousseff government in March 2016. According to the Guardian , "...for those desperate for change, Temer represents salvation. Others, more concerned about
10672-559: The process of impeachment, 61.5% agreed with the conduct of the process, 33.3% answered negatively and 5.2% didn't answer. CNT/MDA polled 2,002 people in 137 municipalities in 25 federative units between 2 and 5 June. CNT/MDA reported the poll as 95% reliable with a 2% margin of error. An Ipsos poll in early July 2016 investigated what outcome most Brazilians were hoping for, with mixed results: 16% of Brazilians preferred Temer in office; 20% said that Rousseff should be acquitted and finish her four-year mandate; and 52% said that whoever assumed
10788-419: The proclamation of the republic in a military coup d'état against Emperor Pedro II . Since then, Brazil has had six constitutions , three dictatorships, and three democratic periods. The Constitution of Brazil , along with several constitutional amendments , establishes the requirements, powers, and responsibilities of the president, their term of office and the method of election. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
10904-474: The program back to Bolsa Família, putting an end to Auxílio Brasil. In 2023, the second version of the program is launched with the promise of financial transfers of at least 600 Brazilian Real. Bolsa Escola, a predecessor which was conditional only on school attendance, was pioneered in Brasilia by then-governor Cristovam Buarque . Not long after, other municipalities and states adopted similar programs. In 2001
11020-566: The program does not discourage work, nor social advancement. To the contrary, says Bénédicte de la Brière, responsible for the program monitoring at the institution: Another criticism of the program is the fact that it is perceived by opponents of the currently ruling party as way to "buy" to votes of poor people, creating clientelism. Many Brazilians recognize that the Bolsa Família program has potential for reducing absolute poverty and to reduce inter-generational transmission of poverty. For one example among many, Renata de Camargo Nacimento (heir to
11136-585: The program gives the Basic Benefit $ 70 BRL per month. This money is given preferentially to a female head of household, through so-called Citizen Cards which are mailed to the family. This card operates like a debit card and is issued by the Caixa Econômica Federal , a government-owned savings bank (the second largest bank in the country). The money can be withdrawn in over 14,000 Caixa bank locations. This practice helps to reduce corruption ,
11252-469: The quality of the diet and in the growth of children. Kathy Lindert, head of the Bolsa Familia project team, lists a series of challenges that the Bolsa Família will have to face in the future, such as clear definition of objectives, monitoring and evaluation, to ensure that the program does not become an isolated island ", but is complemented by investments in education, health and infrastructure, helping families, in their words" to graduate "(i.e., to leave) of
11368-420: The rules of the primary superavit (surplus), and hence showing her knowledge of the fiscal pedaling by taking steps to normalize the accounts. By September 2015, 37 requests for impeachment had been filed with the Chamber of Deputies against Rousseff, but Cunha did not accept any, except for that of Hélio Bicudo and lawyers Miguel Reale Júnior and Janaína Paschoal. Much of the pro-impeachment movement (including
11484-409: The situation in committee, 303 of the 513 members of the lower house were facing criminal charges or investigation at the time of the vote. Cunha then referred the matter to the Senate which eventually, after a session of more than twenty hours on 12 May, resolved to suspend Rousseff's presidential powers and duties for up to 180 days, a motion which passed 55–22. During the judicial process leading up to
11600-439: The so-called "tax pedaling", so that the number of witnesses to be heard could be reduced to 16. On 8 June, the committee accepted a request by both defense and prosecution reducing to four the number of supplemental budget decrees to be considered in the trial. Thus, the number of witnesses in the process was reduced to forty. Since each charge entitled eight witnesses, the defense of Rousseff could introduce up to 32 witnesses for
11716-436: The state-owned banks Caixa Econômica Federal and Banco do Brasil to finance social programs without officially declaring loans from either of those banks, an example of fiscal pedaling . These transactions were reported in 2015 by the TCU and, according to the report, were undertaken in order to improve the government's chances of re-election. Caixa Econômica Federal and Banco do Brasil operated federal social programs under
11832-692: The state-owned company, giving back much of the value through illicit contracts. According to the Request, a person with knowledge of the Petrobras accounts should to evaluate, as a company staff member, the overbilling in approved contracts. It was alleged that statements taken from the accused in Operation Car Wash suggested that Lula and Rousseff had known of the bribery scheme in Petrobras. Rousseff issued six unnumbered decrees in 2014 and 2015 that allocated funds to social programs, allegedly for political purposes, without authorization from Congress. These totaled R$ 18.5 billion (US$ 6.9 billion) and were contracted in official financial institutions with neither
11948-451: The subject of many of those allegations of fiscal pedaling and which Rousseff had unilaterally pushed into law were also entered as evidence. In the first day of the Brazilian legislative year 2016 (2 February), Rousseff spoke in Congress . That unusual personal attendment to Congress to inform her government's legislative agenda has served to mitigate the signs that 2016 should be, once again,
12064-503: The suspects in that investigation. Rousseff was president of the Petrobras board of directors during the period covered by the investigation, and approved Petrobras' controversial acquisition of the Pasadena Refining System . However, the Petrobras charges were not included in the impeachment because Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot , besides declaring that "there was no doubt that Dilma is not corrupt", successfully argued that
12180-657: The transgenerational cycle of poverty (i.e. from one generation to another). Conditional cash transfer programs began to gain strength in 1997. At the time there were only three countries in the world with this experience: Bangladesh, Mexico and Brazil. Bolsa Família currently gives families with per-capita monthly income below $ 140 BRL (poverty line, ~US$ 28) a monthly stipend of $ 32 BRL (~US$ 6) per vaccinated child (< 16 years old) attending school (up to 5), and $ 38 BRL (~US$ 8) per youth (16 or 17 years old) attending school (up to 2). Furthermore, to families whose per-capita monthly income below $ 70 BRL (extreme poverty line, ~US$ 14),
12296-460: The vice president. The seven areas are: The following privileges are guaranteed to former presidents by law: All presidents of Brazil have borne the title President of the Republic . That title has been used by all the constitutions of Brazil since the proclamation of the Republic to refer to the head of the Executive Branch. However, from the proclamation of the Republic in 1889 until 1937
12412-568: The years 2014 and 2015 to authorize the opening credit precisely to, purportedly, allow the provision of additional resources despite it being known that the primary superavit target in the budget forecast was not being fulfilled, and would not be fulfilled, hence disregarding the Annual Budgetary Law and the Federal Constitution. In 2011 and 2014, Rousseff's government is said to have held illegal credit operations, using funds from
12528-519: Was approved. She later said that a mistake had been made concerning a contractual clause and that "her decision was based on a technically and legally flawed summary" of the purchase document drawn up by Nestor Cerveró [ pt ] , the financial director of Petrobras Distribuidora (the fuel distribution and trading subsidiary of Petrobras). Petrobras paid Astra Oil, a wholly owned subsidiary of Astro Oil Trading NV, $ 360 million for 50% of Pasadena Refining System. A year later, Astra exercised
12644-399: Was based on allegations of omission concerning the Petrobras controversy, fiscal responsibility crimes, and budgetary mismanagement. The illegal or suspicious transactions investigated by Operation Car Wash included the purchase of Pasadena Refinery by Petrobras, a deal that cost it R$ 792 million (US$ 362 million). Rousseff chaired the board of directors of Petrobras when the purchase
12760-540: Was criticized by political opponents of President Lula for allegedly using the revenues of the CPMF tax (which was originally created under the pretext of financing the public health system during the Fernando Henrique Cardoso administration; the CPMF tax expired in December 2007, and was not renewed) for political and electoral purposes, to the detriment of the public health system that currently faces enormous difficulties. The reaction from multilateral institutions to Bolsa Família has generally been enthusiastic. During
12876-520: Was established by the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, in 1997. Before that, presidents had been barred from immediate reelection for all of Brazil's republican history, with the single exception of the latter half of the Vargas Era , from 1937 to 1945. The office was limited to men until the 1937 Constitution . Under the original text of the 1988 Constitution the presidential term lasted 5 years, but it
12992-407: Was finally ousted from the Chamber with his political rights suspended under accusation of lying in testimony to the committee investigating Operation Car Wash allegations, the culmination of an internal investigation that had lasted eleven months. On 19 October 2016, Cunha was arrested on charges of corruption and bribery related to a Petrobras drillship purchase. In the Brazilian political system,
13108-538: Was his constitutional duty as chamber president, and the decision to do so was based only on facts related to the budget laws. Cunha said further that he had no personal grievance against the Workers' Party and that Rousseff had signed six decrees for additional spending, which had increased the 2015 federal spending in non-compliance with the annual budget law and without approval of the Congress. Rousseff denied any attempted deal to save Cunha in return for stopping her impeachment, and also denied agreements to interfere with
13224-417: Was reduced to 4 years in 1994 by a constitutional amendment. As of 2015, the president receives a monthly salary of R$ 30,934.70, along with an undisclosed expense account to cover travel, goods and services while in office. Given that in Brazil all private and public sector employees and civil servants receive an additional compensation equivalent to one monthly salary after a year of work (this compensation
13340-502: Was represented by her lawyer, José Eduardo Cardozo. Fraud is the will to, free and consciously, to practice the misconduct and get the result. And that's what the President did. She edited the decrees by a free and conscious mode to increase costs, that could not increased by a decree. She should send a bill . President of Brazil Recent elections The president of Brazil ( Portuguese : presidente do Brasil ), officially
13456-449: Was to create a social program to replace the three previously existing programs of Cardoso's government. He unified all prior programs to create one and provided a monetary amount per month that would allow households to rise above the poverty line. As a redistributive program, Bolsa Familia depends on central-local collaboration. Municipal governments act as the main agents of the federal government. Bolsa Família avoids negotiations between
#113886