‘If We Push, Temer Falls’: Brazilians Ask President to Step Down

President Temer has refused to resign, after a court sanctioned an investigation into corruption charges against him

A protestor holding an image of President Temer, with the ‘Satan’ written in Portuguese (Photo: AP)

On Thursday, Brazil's President Michel Temer said he would not resign, after the Supreme Court authorised an investigation into allegations that he condoned bribes to a potential witness in a major corruption probe.

The investigation raised the chances of a second Brazilian president being removed, in less than a year. The financial markets in Brazil are also reeling as fears that Congress would pass Temer's ambitious austerity agenda are surfacing rapidly.

In a five-minute speech broadcast nationwide, Temer said he had done nothing wrong, that his presidency was helping turn around Brazil's stalled economy and said he welcomed an investigation so that he could prove his innocence.

"I did not buy the silence of anyone," Temer said, referring to the allegations made against him. "I will not resign."

Mass Protests Across Brazil

In cities such as Belo Horizonte, Brasilia and Sao Paolo, citizens took to the streets to protest against President Temer, demanding his resignation. The hashtag #ForTemer or ‘Temer Out’ became the slogan for the movement.

Other members of the public took to social media to voice their feelings against Temer, who was appointed President after his predecessor, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached following charges of corruption levied against her.

The Accusations Against Temer

A Supreme Court justice approved the investigation on Thursday based on plea-bargain testimony and an audio recording in which Temer allegedly conspired to obstruct justice with Joesley Batista, chairman of the world's largest meatpacker JBS SA, according to a report in the O Globo newspaper.

When the audio recording was released to the public on Thursday it did not appear to contain any explosive proof that Temer committed a crime.

It was, however, just one piece of evidence Batista has offered prosecutors, with more to be released soon.

After listening to the recording, a spokesman for Temer said the president was more resolute than ever to fight the investigation and salvage his deeply unpopular presidency.

He said the tape proved he had not approved bribing the witness, former lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha. A one-time Temer ally, Cunha was convicted on corruption charges relating to Brazil’s sweeping graft probe known as Operation Car Wash. The jailed politician’s testimony could reportedly implicate scores of politicians, including the president.

"There is no agreeing with payments for Eduardo Cunha," Marcio de Freitas, a spokesman for Temer said of the tape.

Still, the fact that Supreme Court justice Edson Fachin, who has seen all the evidence Batista has presented, approved the Temer investigation, suggested there could be more material to come that could directly implicate the leader.

Protests calling for Temer's resignation broke out in several cities on Thursday, most attracting a few hundred people. Activists from across the political spectrum called for large protests this weekend.

(With inputs from Reuters)