After Dilma Rousseff was ousted as president in August 2016, Brazil’s pro-impeachment camp confidently proclaimed that “the institutions are working”. Rousseff was accused of disguising shortfalls in the government’s accounts – though some fretted that it was a weak basis for ousting a leader in a presidential system, the impeachment process was procedurally rigorous.
But only a few weeks into the tenure of Rousseff’s substitute, Michel Temer, her camp enjoyed something resembling revenge. Corruption allegations against supporters of Temer’s government quickly emerged, leading to the replacement of five ministers in the first six months. Rousseff’s defenders didn’t miss a beat: “The institutions are working!” they declared, with the irony turned up to full. Not that they admitted any wrongdoing on their side; rather, they were denouncing the corrupt politicians who had posed as guardians of the constitution while voting to impeach Rousseff.
And so it continues. Former president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who orchestrated Rousseff’s election in 2010, has now been sentenced to almost a decade in prison for corruption and money laundering. He can still appeal the decision, but his chances of avoiding prison time are slim. What does all this say about judicial institutions and the future of politics in Brazil?
First, a recap on the ongoing corruption scandal. “Operation…
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