Latin America condemns Rousseff dismissal in Brazil

By Senabri Silvestre

SANTO DOMINGO, Dom. Rep. (AA) – Governments in the Latin American region on Wednesday condemned the dismissal of Dilma Rousseff as Brazil’s president in a political trial seen as a “coup” by many.

“We condemn the parliamentary coup against Brazilian democracy. We accompany Dilma, Lula and his people in this difficult time,” Bolivian President Evo Morales said via Twitter in reference to former president and Rousseff mentor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The United Nations issued a statement Wednesday, extending "best wishes" to Temer and thanking Rousseff for her support to the UN. The reaction from the Andean states was much stronger: In opposition to the decision by the Brazilian Senate, the governments of Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela recalled their ambassadors.

“We withdraw our embassy manager. We never connect these practices that remind us of the darkest hours of our America,” Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said via Twitter.

The Andean government rejected “the blatant subversion” of democratic order in Brazil it considers a “coup" mounted by political opponents and opposition leaders, it said in a statement posted on its Ministry of Public Affair website.

“We cannot ignore the fact that a large number of decision makers in the process are being investigated for serious acts of corruption,” it added.

A number of lawmakers in Brazil’s Senate currently face corruption and other charges.

Cuba said Rousseff’s removal “without any evidence of corruption or crimes of responsibility constitutes an act of disrespect for the sovereign will of the people who chose.”

Lawmakers have “executed a historic treason against the people of Brazil, and an attack on the integrity of the most honest president in office of the presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil”, according to Venezuela that withdrew its ambassador and froze political and diplomatic relations with Brazil, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in statement.

It also said it would initiate a series of consultations to support Brazilians whose democratic system was violated.

Brazil’s first female president was impeached Wednesday in a 61-20 Senate vote and replaced by Michel Temer who assumed the position on an interim basis after Rousseff was suspended in May. Temer was sworn in shortly after the vote.

Rousseff was accused of issuing credit decrees without congressional authorization, shuffling funds to shore up budget deficits and delaying public payments in 2014 and 2015 to pay for government-sponsored social programs.

Rousseff addressed supporters following the vote. "At this time, I will not say goodbye to you,” she said while promising to return and fight a government she believes was installed in a coup.

“Listen well: they think they beat us, but they are wrong. I know that everyone is going to fight. There will be more firm opposition against them,” she said.