Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff to take on at impeachment trial

A dramatic stage will be reached by the impeachment trial of Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff with the suspended president set to defend herself, on Monday.

Ms Rousseff is accused of illegally manipulating the budget to hide a shortfall that was growing.

She says the impeachment proceedings amount to a coup d’etat and denies the claims.

Senators are due to vote this week on whether to remove her from office for good or whether to reinstate her.

54 of the 81 senators would have to vote for her impeachment, for her to be taken from the presidency permanently.

Eighteen told the newspaper they were opposed to 11 and the impeachment either did not say which way they might vote or were undecided.

Acting President Michel Temer will serve out her term, which ends in December 2018 if Ms Rousseff, 68, is impeached.

Mr Temer, who was Ms Rousseff’s vice-president, assumed the role of acting president in May when Ms Rousseff was suspended from office pending the impeachment trial.