Again, Brazil’s Temer survives graft charges, escapes trial

Embattled Brazilian President Michel Temer has for the umpteenth time survived a move by the lower house of congress to put him on trial for charges of obstruction of justice and criminal organisation.

Temer who denied the charges against him survived the heat after Brazil’s 513 seat lower house voted 251 in favour of him to maintain the presidency, a comfortable margin over the minimum 172 votes the president needed.

“Once again we overcame the opposition,” said congressman Carlos Marun, a staunch Temer ally from the same Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), as he sang and danced shortly before the final results of vote were announced.

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The fresh charges of obstruction of justice and racketeering were leveled against him in September and according to a statement posted on the prosecutor general’s office website at the time, it was alleged that Temer was threatening to delay the government’s economic reform agenda in Congress.

A month before that, Brazil’s Congress rejected corruption charges against Temer, preventing him from Supreme Court trial which could have seen him ousted from office.

Temer survived after at least 172 of the 513 members of the lower Chamber of Deputies had voted against putting him on trial, thereby rejecting a corruption charge against him for allegedly taking bribes.

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