Voting begins in Rousseff impeachment

Brazilian jurist Janaina Paschoal (C), co-author of the complaint that originated the impeachment process against suspended president Dilma Rousseff, receives flowers from senators Ana Amelia (L), Marta Suplicy (R) and jurist Miguel Reale Junior during a final session of debate and voting on Rousseff's impeachment trial in Brasilia. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

Brazilian jurist Janaina Paschoal (C), co-author of the complaint that originated the impeachment process against suspended president Dilma Rousseff, receives flowers from senators Ana Amelia (L), Marta Suplicy (R) and jurist Miguel Reale Junior during a final session of debate and voting on Rousseff's impeachment trial in Brasilia. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

Published Aug 30, 2016

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Brasilia - Brazil's Senate has begun voting on a verdict in the impeachment trial of President Dilma Rousseff.

The voting process is expected to last many hours as each of 81 senators takes up to 10 minutes to explain his or her vote. A final decision is expected early Wednesday.

If a two-thirds majority of at least 54 senators vote to impeach, Rousseff will be removed as president and banned from political office for eight years, something her defence lawyer has termed a “political death penalty.”

The impeachment vote is widely expected to succeed.

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