Temer is on thin ice, says Le Monde.

Da Radio France International - The newspaper Le Monde this Thursday (15) highlights on its website the accusations of Claudio Melo Filho, confirmed by Marcelo Odebrecht, which prove the involvement of several government leaders and the interim president himself in the corruption scheme of the Lava Jato operation. Temer was mentioned 43 times in Melo Filho's testimony.

The newspaper Le Monde describes the scene at the Jaburu Palace in May 2014, shortly before the presidential campaign. Michel Temer, then vice-president, "a master of parliamentary intrigue," says the newspaper, addresses Marcelo Odebrecht, heir to the group, and says he needs R$ 10 million. A script, says Le Monde, worthy of Francis Ford Coppola's film "The Godfather."

"It was the first episode in a series of 70 confessions in the so-called plea bargain, in exchange for reduced sentences for Odebrecht's directors and executives," describes the Le Monde article, which cites the Excel spreadsheet from the construction company's bribery department, where each politician who benefited has a nickname, such as Crab ("crabe" in French), a name given to the former Speaker of the House, Eduardo Cunha, or Loose Mouth ("Bouche Molle").

The newspaper recalls the dismissal of José Yunes, special advisor to the presidency, suspected of having received part of the R$ 10 million in his São Paulo office. According to Le Monde, the corruption of Brazilian political leaders is no mystery, but the case puts an end to the prevailing rhetoric that the PT (Workers' Party) is the main protagonist in corruption schemes and former president Lula the main actor in the perversion of the political world. "Some Brazilians imagined that impeachment would allow Brazil to turn the page on a political, economic, and moral crisis. But it didn't."

Temer's departure becomes a viable option.

According to the French newspaper, Temer's departure has become a viable option. A Datafolha poll indicates that 63% of Brazilians are calling for his resignation and early elections. For this to happen, he must either leave power or be impeached – but Congress has already blocked the amendment that would allow his removal. He doesn't seem willing to leave on his own accord. Little by little, he is enabling unpopular reforms, such as PEC 241, which limits state spending for 20 years. A vote, Le Monde reminds us, that earned him praise from the US president-elect, Donald Trump.

According to political scientist Mathias de Alencastro, Temer has become a "zombie president." If Temer leaves the presidency after January 2017, indirect elections will be organized in Congress, with potential candidates such as Nelson Jobim, former Minister of Defense under Lula and Dilma, or Fernando Cardoso, who has denied his candidacy.

This is a possibility that does not excite the opposition, since a third of the House is involved in fraud schemes.

Will the street remain unchanged?

"It would be a coup d'état within a coup d'état," says Jean Wyllys (PSOL). The pressure is then to change the Constitution and call early elections. For Le Monde, the recent accusations are "the beginning of the descent into hell for the septuagenarian." The case of Renan Calheiros, who remained as president of the Senate after the Supreme Federal Court reversed its decision, signaled the announced death of Michel Temer, says the newspaper, demonstrating how fragile the government and democracy are.

Le Monde concludes its report by questioning whether the streets will "remain silent" in the face of the successive scandals. "Right-wing supporters demonstrate sporadically against corruption. Left-wing supporters protest against reforms and austerity. Brasília trembles at the thought that the two movements might one day unite against a common enemy: Michel Temer."

Read the report From Le Monde in its entirety.