Renan Calheiros

VICE News

SÃO PAULO — Two court rulings in two days have raised the real possibility that Brazil’s already beleaguered president, Dilma Rousseff, could face impeachment proceedings.

The most immediate challenge comes from Wednesday’s ruling by Brazil’s top audit court that the government manipulated its 2014 accounts. The court said the book-cooking was aimed at covering up a widening fiscal deficit in order to justify maintaining social spending ahead of Rousseff’s narrowly-won reelection last October.

Rousseff summoned ministers to a meeting on Thursday to discuss the judgment’s implications.

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Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO — Brazil’s Supreme Court on Friday released the names of senior politicians it has authorised prosecutors to investigate for their alleged roles in a multi-billion-dollar corruption scandal at state-run oil giant Petrobras.

Supreme Court minister Teori Zavascki granted investigations into 47 politicians, including 12 acting senators and 22 acting deputies, under Operation Lava Jato, or Car Wash, that is probing the vast alleged kickback scheme.

Some of Brazil’s top politicians — including acting and former congressional leaders, senators, deputies, ministers, governors, and even a former president — could now face prison sentences, if tried and convicted.

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