Lewandowski defines today the procedure for the final impeachment trial.
Among the points that need clarification is, for example, the time each senator will have to speak and raise points of order. It also needs to be decided how much time the three witnesses called by the prosecution and the six witnesses for the defense will have. Another question concerns the day Dilma can appear in person to defend herself, should she wish to do so.
The president of the Supreme Federal Court, Ricardo Lewandowski, will define this Wednesday (17) the roadmap for the final trial of suspended President Dilma Rousseff, scheduled to begin on the 25th, at 9 am, in the Senate plenary. As he did in the pronouncement phase of the process, the minister will once again meet with the president of the House, Renan Calheiros (PMDB-AL), and with party leaders to finalize the details. The meeting will be at 11 am.
Among the points that need clarification is, for example, the time each senator will have to speak and raise points of order. It also needs to be decided how much time the three witnesses called by the prosecution and the six witnesses for the defense will have. Another question concerns the day Dilma can appear in person to defend herself, should she wish to do so.
The president of the Supreme Federal Court, Minister Ricardo Lewandowski, will finalize the details of the final judgment in the impeachment process. Photo: Geraldo Magela/Agência Senado
Lewandowski will still have to define the duration of each day of the trial, as well as the breaks, and whether sessions will be convened on weekends, as advocated by allies of interim president Michel Temer. Even during the pronouncement phase, when questioned by the president of the Special Impeachment Commission, Senator Raimundo Lira (PMDB-PB), the minister had already stated that he does not intend to schedule sessions on weekends.
“It’s one thing to hold a trial session on a Friday, Saturday, or Monday to remove a president of the Republic from office. It’s quite another thing, completely different, to establish other procedures, such as hearing witnesses, discussion, participation of the defense or the prosecution. I think this decision should be taken soon, one way or the other, with the participation of everyone,” Renan said on Tuesday (16).
Final vote
To definitively remove Dilma Rousseff from office, this time two-thirds of the votes will be needed, that is, the support of at least 54 of the 81 senators. If this scenario is confirmed, the interim president will definitively assume the position and the Workers' Party member will also be ineligible for office for eight years. If the minimum necessary for the impeachment If the goal is not achieved, she resumes her mandate, and the Senate proceedings are dismissed.