In March 2016, millions of Brazilian residents took to the streets, in the largest ever public
outcry against their president, Dilma Rousseff.
The latest scandal surrounding Rousseff involves the appointment of the former Brazilian president
to a high ranking cabinet position.
The former president, known as “Lula de Silva”, is facing corruption and money laundering
charges, and Rousseff’s appointment would grant him protection from prosecution.
Protesters, along with a large portion of the Brazilian congress are calling for the
removal of Rousseff from office.
Congress has even begun impeachment proceedings.
So why does Brazil hate their president?
Well, since President Rousseff began her second term in 2014, her approval rating has plummeted,
reaching an all-time low of under ten percent.
Many citizens blame her for Brazil’s recent economic downturn, which is its worst since
the 1930s Great Depression.
In 2015, the country’s GDP fell by almost four percent, while the value of its currency
dropped by roughly a quarter.
Brazilians have paid roughly 10 percent more on consumer goods every year since Rousseff
took office in 2011, and inflation is now at its highest rate since 2003.
Experts say, if Brazil’s economy continues to fail at the current rate, the country will
face a full-blown depression by 2017.
Many Brazilians attribute this to bad policy, corruption and frivolous spending on the part
of Rousseff and her leftist Worker’s Party.
Under Rousseff, the state has spent lavishly on social programs and massive infrastructure
projects that have gone over budget or were never completed.
This includes billions in public spending on the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, despite
the widespread public opposition.
Brazil’s already struggling economy sunk even further after the 2014 Petrobras Scandal,
in which public officials pocketed millions from fraudulent contracts with Brazil’s
state-run oil giant, Petrobras.
Rousseff has never been directly linked to the scandal, though she is strongly suspected
of foul play, as she was the company’s chairwoman during the period in question..
Moreover, almost every alleged or convicted offender is part of her governing coalition.
This includes her campaign manager and Brazil’s former president, Lula, who hand picked Rousseff
as his successor.
Rousseff was roped even further into the scandal in March 2016, as allegations surfaced that
she had appointed a justice to Brazil’s supreme court, ostensibly to release jailed
executives.
But perhaps the lowest point of Rousseff’s presidency was in December 2015, when congress
began impeachment proceedings against her.
According to her accusers, Rousseff’s 2014 presidential win was invalid, as her campaign
was allegedly funded through illegally acquired assets.
Rousseff is also being cited for covering up massive budget gaps with funds from public
banks, essentially creating the illusion of a functioning economy while carrying out poor
economic policies.
Rousseff has denied any involvement in the Petrobras scandal, and claims she is committed
to fighting corruption and strengthening Brazil’s economy.
And although her approval rating continues to dwindle, Rousseff does have a small but
vocal group of supporters.
They say she is a scapegoat for Brazil's extraneous economic problems, like falling commodity
prices and less demand from China.
Moreover, experts say that Congress’ case against Rousseff is not strong enough to successfully
remove her from office.
So, whether they like it or not, Brazilians will likely see another two years of President
Rousseff.
But the President isn’t the only source of corruption in Brazil.
Learn more about how corrupt the hosts of the 2016 Olympics really are by watching this
video up top.
You can also learn more about the Olympics themselves, and just how much of a disaster
they’ve turned out to be for Brazil by watching the video below.