Corruption

Brazil’s new acting president faces investigations, too

Brazil’s Senate just voted to put President Dilma Rousseff on trial for impeachment for breaking financial rules, a move that has pushed her out of office, at least temporarily.

She has to step down for up to 180 days while senators investigate her. Then the Senate will hold a final vote on whether she should be impeached.

Now Vice President Michel Temer takes the reins of South America’s most populous country and largest economy.

Rousseff is accused of breaking budget rules in order to make government accounts look healthier before her 2014 election win. She denies any wrongdoing and calls the impeachment effort a “coup.”

Here’s the thing, though: Temer is accused of doing the same things as Rousseff. Last month, a high court judge ordered lawmakers to discuss impeachment proceedings against him, too. If Rousseff is guilty of crimes, his accusers say, then so is he.

That means the new acting president could be impeached, too. Yeah, seriously.