Brazil President Dilma Rousseff blasts ‘corrupt’ critics

Rousseff lobbies MPs on eve of impeachment vote

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff fought for her political life on Saturday, lobbying legislators to defeat a looming impeachment vote while lashing out at “corrupt” critics seeking to oust her.

On the eve of the vote in the Lower House of Congress, the 68-year-old leftist leader published a searing column reaffirming her belief that she was the victim of a “coup”.

“They want to convict an innocent woman and save the corrupt,” Ms Rousseff wrote in the daily Folha de Sao Paulo.

The political crisis is threatening to destabilise Latin America’s biggest economy as it struggles through a crippling recession and prepares to host the Rio Olympics in four months.

Ms Rousseff had planned to address supporters camped out at the Mane Garrincha stadium in Brasilia on Saturday, but she cancelled her appearance in order to press her case with legislators.

“She will stay (at her official residence) for the last negotiations for Sunday’s vote,” a presidential advisor said.

Organisers hope that more than 100,000 will gather at the rally and the support camp this weekend.

“We came to join the defence of democracy and the government that was legitimately elected in 2014,” said Tiago Almeida, 35, a metal worker from the state of Sao Paulo who has been at the camp for days.

Ms Rousseff’s opponents also plan rallies over the weekend.

The police tightly guarded the area around Congress, which was surrounded with metal barriers.

Pro and anti-Rousseff rallies are also planned in other cities on Sunday, including the economic capital Sao Paulo as well as Rio de Janeiro.