Brazil's Largest Party Withdraws from Rousseff's Government Coalition

Brazil's largest party announced on Tuesday, March 29, that it is withdrawing from the ruling coalition and has requested all its ministers in President Dilma Rousseff's cabinet to cease their cooperation with the government. According to Reuters, this action by the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party puts Rousseff's government on the brink of collapse. The report adds that the party has asked six ministers from Rousseff's cabinet to resign. Under Brazilian presidential laws, Rousseff can remain in office, but she can no longer prevent impeachment proceedings and the proposal for her removal in parliament. Consequently, Michel Temer, Rousseff's vice president, may take control as acting president. Dilma Rousseff denies any illegal actions by her government and refers to the impeachment efforts against her as a coup. Meanwhile, opponents claim that Rousseff violated budget laws during her re-election campaign in 2014, increasing government spending that year and abusing her power. The report indicates that with the main party separating from the ruling coalition, smaller parties are likely to follow suit, effectively isolating Rousseff. The crisis facing Rousseff's government is part of a larger crisis Brazil is experiencing; the country, which was once considered a developing nation alongside China, India, and Russia, is now facing an economic crisis. Economists state that Brazil's economy shrank by nearly four percent last year, and the country has faced its worst recession in a century over the past two years. Additionally, as the Rio de Janeiro Olympics approach, concerns about the Zika virus have increased. In this context, former Brazilian President has been arrested on corruption charges, and the World Health Organization has issued warnings about the sexual transmission of Zika.