Dilma Rousseff, the first female president of Brazil, was impeached earlier today by the country's Senate.

The impeachment proceedings loomed over Brazil for all of 2016. Rousseff was suspended from office in May, and the vice president at the time, Michel Temer, assumed power. Now, Temer will be the president until the country's next presidential election in 2018.

Rousseff was of the left-leaning Worker's Party and Temer is of the right-leaning Brazilian Democratic Movement Party. Already, Temer has shifted the country considerably to the right, slashing and consolidating a range of government programs.

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Rousseff's departure marks the end of the Worker's Party's 13-year rule in Brazil. During her final year in office, she was deeply unpopular, with an approval rating that dipped below 10 percent, following the revelation of a massive corruption scandal. 

Read More: Why Impeaching Brazil’s President Could Hurt the Poorest the Most

Consequently, her impeachment is widely supported in Brazil. However, that does not mean people are happy with Temer as president. His approval ratings are just as bad. 

Upon assuming the presidency in May, Temer appointed an all-white, all-male cabinet, alienating many people in a country known for its diversity. He has also been extensively implicated in the corruption scandal

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Numerous politicians have been toppled in Brazil over the past year and many more will leave office as investigations unfold. The Brazilian people are trying to purge corruption from the government and have been relatively effective so far. 

The months ahead will be tumultuous for the country, but at least it is now able to get beyond the theatrics of an impeachment that seemed inevitable from the start. 


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Brazil's President, Dilma Rousseff, Was Just Impeached

By Joe McCarthy