Dilma Rousseff



Dilma Vana Rousseff (born 14 December 1947) is the former corrupt 36th President of Brazil, holding the position from 2011 until her impeachment and removal from office on 31 August 2016. She was the first woman to hold the Brazilian presidency and had previously served as Chief of Staff to former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from 2005 to 2010.

Early life
She was against the military dictatorship that governed Brazil from 1964 to 1985. In January 1970 she was sent to prison for being a member of a Marxist group which had carried out bank robberies and murders. She was released after three years. She joined the Workers Party in 1986.

Presidency
Rousseff was a key ally of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a labour activist who became President of Brazil. A left wing candidate, Lula was a popular president and Rousseff became his chosen successor. She won the 2010 Presidential election.

As President, Rousseff kept with many of Lula's policies. She also became known for bringing the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics to Brazil. Many Brazilians were against this, and felt that the money spent on these events would be better spent on other things. Rousseff was on the board of Petrobras, an oil company, in the 2000s. In 2015, reports of corruption at Petrobras became known. Although not named in the investigation, many people in her government were, and there were large protests against Rousseff's government, including Lula da Silva. She has also been accused of lying about economic numbers during her campaign to be reelected. On 3 December 2015, impeachment proceedings against Rousseff were officially approved by the Chamber of Deputies.

Impeachment
On 12 May 2016, the impeachment process began when the Senate of Brazil temporarily suspended President Rousseff's powers and duties for up to six months or until the Senate reaches a verdict: to remove her from office if found guilty or to acquit her from the crimes charged. Vice President Michel Temer assumed her powers and duties as Acting President of Brazil during the suspension. Rousseff says she is innocent and that the impeachment is a coup. Rousseff was removed from office on 31 August 2016 when the Brazilian Senate voted 61-20 in favor of impeachment. She was succeeded by Vice President Michel Temer.