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| Brazilian Speaker, in About-Face, Won’t Annul Rousseff’s Impeachment | Brazilian Speaker, in About-Face, Won’t Annul Rousseff’s Impeachment |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BRASÍLIA — In a stunning twist in the effort to impeach President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, the new speaker of the lower house of Congress has changed his mind — less than 24 hours after announcing that he would try to annul his chamber’s decision last month to impeach her. | BRASÍLIA — In a stunning twist in the effort to impeach President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, the new speaker of the lower house of Congress has changed his mind — less than 24 hours after announcing that he would try to annul his chamber’s decision last month to impeach her. |
| Brazilians awoke on Tuesday to the news of the sudden about-face by the speaker, Waldir Maranhão, who on Monday was widely ridiculed and threatened with expulsion from his Progressive Party for trying to upend the impeachment process. | Brazilians awoke on Tuesday to the news of the sudden about-face by the speaker, Waldir Maranhão, who on Monday was widely ridiculed and threatened with expulsion from his Progressive Party for trying to upend the impeachment process. |
| Mr. Maranhão said on Monday that he would to try to annul the April 17 impeachment vote, citing concerns about procedural irregularities. But in a decision made around midnight here, and widely circulated in the early morning on Tuesday, Mr. Maranhão told Renan Calheiros, the head of the Senate, that he was revoking his earlier decision. | Mr. Maranhão said on Monday that he would to try to annul the April 17 impeachment vote, citing concerns about procedural irregularities. But in a decision made around midnight here, and widely circulated in the early morning on Tuesday, Mr. Maranhão told Renan Calheiros, the head of the Senate, that he was revoking his earlier decision. |
| The head-spinning change of course was only the latest development in a political crisis that has mesmerized and bewildered Latin America’s most populous nation. | The head-spinning change of course was only the latest development in a political crisis that has mesmerized and bewildered Latin America’s most populous nation. |
| The practical significance of the decision is that it improves the chances Ms. Rousseff will be ousted this week. | The practical significance of the decision is that it improves the chances Ms. Rousseff will be ousted this week. |
| The Senate, which was already threatening to disregard Mr. Maranhão’s pronouncements, is scheduled on Wednesday to start voting on whether to remove Ms. Rousseff from office and place her on trial over claims of budgetary manipulation. Ms. Rousseff is widely expected to lose that vote, clearing the way for her to be replaced by Vice President Michel Temer. | |
| The circuslike atmosphere in Brazil’s Congress — which has recently been marked by shouting matches, protests inside the chamber and lawmakers spitting on one another — has provoked ire across the country. | The circuslike atmosphere in Brazil’s Congress — which has recently been marked by shouting matches, protests inside the chamber and lawmakers spitting on one another — has provoked ire across the country. |
| “Do you know what the world is now thinking of us Brazilians?” Joaquim Barbosa, a former chief justice of Brazil, asked on Twitter after Mr. Maranhão announced his annulment of the impeachment vote. “Many must be seeing us as a laughingstock.” | |
| Mr. Maranhão had taken the helm of Brazil’s lower house as interim speaker just last week, after the previous speaker, Eduardo Cunha, was forced to step down by the Supreme Court to face a trial on graft charges. Mr. Cunha, who is accused of taking as much as $40 million in bribes, had overseen the impeachment proceedings. | Mr. Maranhão had taken the helm of Brazil’s lower house as interim speaker just last week, after the previous speaker, Eduardo Cunha, was forced to step down by the Supreme Court to face a trial on graft charges. Mr. Cunha, who is accused of taking as much as $40 million in bribes, had overseen the impeachment proceedings. |
| But like dozens of other prominent politicians across the spectrum, Mr. Maranhão is grappling with claims that he pocketed bribes in the graft scheme surrounding Petrobras, the national oil company. | But like dozens of other prominent politicians across the spectrum, Mr. Maranhão is grappling with claims that he pocketed bribes in the graft scheme surrounding Petrobras, the national oil company. |
| Ms. Rousseff is not accused of stealing for her own personal enrichment. Instead, she faces accusations that she borrowed money from state banks to plug budget holes, masking the depths of Brazil’s economic troubles to bolster her re-election prospects. | Ms. Rousseff is not accused of stealing for her own personal enrichment. Instead, she faces accusations that she borrowed money from state banks to plug budget holes, masking the depths of Brazil’s economic troubles to bolster her re-election prospects. |
| The Senate leader, Mr. Calheiros, had already vowed on Monday to defy Mr. Maranhão’s annulment of the impeachment vote against Ms. Rousseff in the lower house last month. In that vote, which sent the case to the Senate, Ms. Rousseff lost by a wide margin — with 367 lawmakers voting for impeachment, 137 voting against and seven abstaining. | The Senate leader, Mr. Calheiros, had already vowed on Monday to defy Mr. Maranhão’s annulment of the impeachment vote against Ms. Rousseff in the lower house last month. In that vote, which sent the case to the Senate, Ms. Rousseff lost by a wide margin — with 367 lawmakers voting for impeachment, 137 voting against and seven abstaining. |
| After Mr. Maranhão annulled the impeachment vote and then backtracked, some commentators denounced the functioning of government in Brasília amid the political upheaval. | After Mr. Maranhão annulled the impeachment vote and then backtracked, some commentators denounced the functioning of government in Brasília amid the political upheaval. |
| “Anyone who still lives with the idea that institutions are functioning is either a cynic or blind,” said Josias de Souza, a prominent columnist. | “Anyone who still lives with the idea that institutions are functioning is either a cynic or blind,” said Josias de Souza, a prominent columnist. |