(Reuters) — Brazilians burnt effigies of President Michel Temer in a Sao Paulo street on Monday (July 10) to denounce moves by the conservative government to push through with reforms that protesters say will take away work and pension rights.
Temer replaced impeached leftist President Dilma Rousseff just over a year ago with a vow to turn around the economic fortunes of Brazil’s flailing economy via austerity measures.
But allegations of corruption have dogged his administration and cast doubt over his reform agenda.
Investigators have uncovered stunning levels of corruption in recent years engulfing Brazil’s political class and business elites.
Much of it centers on companies paying billions of dollars in bribes to politicians and executives at state-run enterprises in return for lucrative contracts.
Temer and one-third of his cabinet, as well as four former presidents and dozens of lawmakers, are under investigation or have already been charged in the schemes.
Some lawmakers in Temer’s ruling coalition have reported they will withdraw support from the government if corruption charges stand.
With the country’s lawmakers set to debate the reforms this week, Brazilians are taking advantage of political uncertainty by chanting “out with Temer.”
But corruption allegations against Temer now rest upon lawmakers.
Under Brazilian law, the lower house of Congress must now vote on whether to allow the top tribunal to try the conservative leader.
Political allies within Temer’s coalition are confident they have the votes to block the two-thirds majority required to proceed with a trial.
