Brazilian lawmakers were considering today whether to suspend President Michel Temer and put him on trial on charges of leading a criminal organization and obstructing justice.
This is the second time Temer has faced corruption charges since he took office last year. Brazil's lower house of Congress spared him last time and is expected to do so again. But Temer's popularity is in single digits after a series of scandals and the vote could show how effectively he will be able to govern during the last year of his term.
If two thirds of the 513 members of the Chamber of Deputies accept the charges, Temer will be suspended for up to six months while he is tried in the nation's Supreme Court. The voting was expected to start later Wednesday and could drag into the next day since the opposition's strategy is to delay as long as possible.
The charges against Temer stem from Brazil's massive corruption investigation, which began as a probe into money laundering and ended up uncovering systemic graft in Brazil's halls of power. Dozens of politicians and businessmen have been jailed in the probe.
Prosecutors allege that Brazil's government was run like a cartel for years, with the political parties in power selling favors, votes and plum appointments to powerful businessmen.
They say Temer took over the scheme when he came to power last year, after his predecessor was impeached and removed from office, and that his party has since received about USD 190 million in bribes.
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