PSDB sues Rousseff for using state resources to defend herself
PSDB, Brazil's largest opposition party, filed a public interest civil suit with a Federal Court Friday (Dec. 11) seeking an injunction against President Dilma Rousseff
PSDB, Brazil's largest opposition party, filed a public interest civil suit with a Federal Court Friday (Dec. 11) seeking an injunction against President Dilma Rousseff for inappropriately using the State to defend her tenure as president. PSDB is calling on the court to immediately stop the president from using state resources and services to defend herself and broadcasting and publishing her defense on government media.
The party lawyers argued in the document that President Dilma Rousseff has repeatedly and unduly mixed up public and personal interests. According to them, “her defense has a personal character, because it concerns the political and legal legacy of Dilma Rousseff and the Workers’ Party (PT).”
Also according to the petition, the president’s defense has involved a number of moves that mix up public and private interests. Calling it “inappropriate and abusive practices”, the document instanced a visit of legal scholars at Palácio do Planalto, a “remarkable act of sole defense against impeachment” that was reported on the official Presidency website.
PSDB lawyers claim that the president “is misusing the resources available to her—facilities, assets, services, and media—to defend herself against charges relating to the impeachment proceeding against her. This is in violation of basic principles of public law, more notably those of lawfulness, morality, and impersonality.”
Finally, PSDB is calling on the court to immediately stop the president from using state resources and services to defend herself and broadcasting and publishing her defense on government media.
Attorney-General
Attorney-General Luis Inácio Adams said the president’s defense is not a partisan one, but an official one, aimed at clarifying the government actions that have been challenged.
“Sadly, PSDB are making every effort to prevent the president from defending herself. The president has the right to defend herself. Just as accusers use the parliament and the public forums to argue their allegations, the president has the right to defend her tenure,” Adams said.
Translated by Mayra Borges
Fonte: PSDB sues Rousseff for using state resources to defend herself
