Rousseff’s Party Claims Coup, Announces “Out With Temer” Campaign

PT president Rui Falcao said after a meeting of the national party directorate in Brasilia, that party members will continue “fighting the coup” and will undertake actions to raise society’s awareness of the need to “get rid of Temer.”

Falcao, who referred to the acting president as a “coup leader,” “illegal” and a “usurper,” said that the PT may call a large national demonstration on June 1, when “possibly” Rousseff’s defense will be presented before the Senate, tasked with holding the impeachment trial to which she must submit.

He also said that “the PT and all the progressive forces do not and will not recognize the Temer government,” which – the party says – has among its aims ending the social programs implemented by Rousseff and her political mentor and predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Within that framework, he said that the first measures announced by Temer, which point to a reform of the retirement and pension regime or to a revision of social programs, “prove that this government came to do away with support for the (country’s) poorest.”

Falcao also said he was convinced that Rousseff will prove her innocence and, above all, that she will demonstrate that “there are no crimes” within the accusations against her.

The charges against Rousseff are based, primarily, on fiscal irregularities that allowed her government to cook the books on government accounts in 2014 and 2015, although the PT says that they were nothing more than “administrative mistakes” that should not be the basis for impeachment.

Falcao said that the “Out With Temer” campaign will also seek to reinstate Rousseff, who would recover her post if she is acquitted by the Senate.

“We will fight for the return of the popularly and democratically elected president, so that a new agenda for thorough political reform and economic measures that can reestablish growth and employment can be proposed to the country,” he said.