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AMERICAS

AllImpeachmentsArePolitical.ButWas
BrazilsSomethingMoreSinister?
TheInterpreter
ByAMANDATAUB

AUG.31,2016

WASHINGTONWastheimpeachmentofDilmaRousseffasthepresidentof
BrazilonWednesdayacoup?
Technically,theanswerisno.Althoughthereisnosingledefinitionofwhat
constitutesacoup,itisatitscoreanillegalseizureofpower.TheBrazilian
Senates61to20votetoremoveMs.Rousseffwastheculminationofalegal
processsetforthintheBrazilianConstitution,anditsimplydoesnotmeetthat
standard.
ButMs.Rousseffandhersupportershavearguedformonthsthattheeffort
tooustherwasinfactacoupengineeredbyasmallgroupofelites.
Theyarenotbotheredbystrictlegaldefinitions.Rather,couphasbecome
shorthandforaccusingMs.Rousseffspoliticalopponentsofexploitingthelawto
subvertdemocracy.
Thereistruthtothat.ButitisrootedinproblemsthatafflictBrazilsentire
politicalsystem,notjustitsrightoritsleft.
Anyoppositionpartyanywherestandstogainfromthedownfallofthe
governingpartysleader.InBrazil,thatwasheightenedbythefactthatmembers
oftheoppositionhadbeencaughtupinamajorcorruptionscandal.

RomeroJuc,aninfluentialoppositionlegislatorwhohadbeenimplicatedin
thescandal,wasrecordedinMarchsayingoftheinvestigation,Wehaveto
changethegovernmenttobeabletostopthisbleeding.
Ms.Rousseffwasimpeachedonwhatanalystsnearuniversallydescribedas
minorcharges:concealingabudgetdeficitbyborrowingfromastateownedbank
illegal,butnotacriminaloffense.
AmyEricaSmith,anassistantpoliticalscienceprofessoratIowaState
UniversitywhostudiesBrazil,saidthesechargesdontrisetothelevelofthe
kindofaccusationsthatwouldmeritimpeachment,adding:Itsnotalegitimate
useoftheimpeachmentproceedings.
ThisiswhyMs.Rousseffandheralliesarguedthatthepoliticianspushing
impeachmentwerenottryingtoprotecttheintegrityofBraziliandemocracy,but,
rather,tomanipulateittoservetheirownends.Callingtheimpeachmentacoup
becameawaytoquestionthemotivesofoppositionleadersandtoarguethat
impeachingMs.Rousseffwouldbecontrarytodemocracy.
Normally,followingthelawwhichtheimpeacherswereindeeddoingby
designservesdemocracy.But,inBrazil,thereiscurrentlyjustenoughcorruption
andjustenoughruleoflawforpoliticalelitestoplaythetwoagainsteachother.
Corruption,ProfessorSmithexplained,issoendemicinBrazilianpolitics
thatitmostlikelyimplicatestheentiregoverningclass.Thecountryalsohasa
powerfuljudiciarythatisactivelyworkingtoinvestigateandprosecutecorruption
anunstablecombination.
Thisgivespoliticalelitesbothameansandanincentivetoexposetheir
rivals,knowingitwillprobablyruinthem.
Afterall,ifeveryoneiscorrupt,everyoneisvulnerable.Butwhilethatserves
individualpoliticians,itweakensthewiderpoliticalsystembyintroducing
instability.
AndbecauseBrazilseconomyisdoingsopoorly,thepublicis,
understandably,angryatthegovernmentandeagertoseecorruptionpunished.
SowhileMs.Rousseffssupportersmightseethisimpeachmentasacynical
ploy,heropponentsseeasymbolicblowagainstacorruptsystemevenifthat

corruptionextendsacrosspartylines.
Thereisalsoanimportantclassdimensionplayingout.
Ms.RousseffledtheleftleaningWorkersParty,whichpositionsitselfasa
championofthepoor.
TheoppositionPartyoftheBrazilianDemocraticMovement,whichpushed
forMs.Rousseffsousterandtookpoweraftershewassuspendedfromofficein
May,isseenasachampionofbusinessinterests.
IntheeyesofWorkersPartydevotees,theimpeachmentproceedingshadan
elementofclasswarfare,withtheeliteseizingpowertoprotecttheirinterests
which,totheotherside,looksandfeelslikeacoupevenifitdoesnotmeetthe
formaldefinition.Thatperceptionwascapturedbyaphotograph,whichwent
viralonsocialmedia,ofawealthylookingcoupleinawealthyneighborhood
walkingtoaprotestagainstPresidentRousseffinMarchwhiletheirmaidpushed
theirchildreninastrolleralongsidethem.
Whenpeopletalkaboutcoupmongers,saidProfessorSmith,theyre
oftenimplicitlythinkingabout,youknow,arichwhitewomanwhoisupsetthat
hermaidnowisentitledtolaborprotectionsthatlimitwhatthisrichwhite
womancanaskhermaidtodo.
Butthisview,promotedbyMs.Rousseffsstaunchestsupports,issomething
ofacaricature.AnAprilpollbythefirmDatafolhafoundthat61percentof
BrazilianssupportedholdingimpeachmentproceedingsagainstMs.Rousseff,
andthatherapprovalratingwasascant13percent.
.
Soitisnotthecase,assomehaveargued,thatMs.Rousseffsimpeachment
wasacoupinthesensethatahandfulofelitessubvertedthepopularwill.Nor
havethey,intheseproceedings,goneoutsidethelaw.Rather,Ms.Rousseffs
politicalopponentshavedonesomethingsubtler:Theyexploitedthepopularwill
andtheletterofthelawtoservetheirowninterests,ratherthantheinterestsof
democracy.
Ofcourse,inallcountries,politiciansactoutofselfinterest.And
impeachmentproceedingsarealwayspoliticalsomethingthatanyAmerican

wholivedthroughPresidentBillClintonsimpeachmenthearingscantellyou.
ButtheparticularnatureofBrazilssystematthismomentmakesitspolitics
particularlyunstable,andgivesindividualpoliticiansgreaterpowertoleverage
democracytowardendsthatarenotsodemocratic.
Correction:September1,2016
Anearlierversionofthisarticleincludedoutdatedpollinginformation.AnAprilpoll
bythefirmDatafolhafoundthat61percentofBrazilianssupportedholding
impeachmentproceedingsagainstMs.Rousseff,andthatherapprovalratingwasa
scant13percent.(Earlierpollshadshown66percentsupportingimpeachment
proceedings,andan11percentapproval.)
FollowAmandaTaubonTwitter@amandataub.

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