Brazil Senate defies Supreme Court move to dismiss its head

BRASILIA, (Reuters) - The president of Brazil’s Senate refused yesterday to accept a Supreme Court injunction removing him from office, pushing the country towards a constitutional crisis as it struggles to end political gridlock and an economic recession.

A judge on the top court on Monday ordered the removal of Senator Renan Calheiros because he was indicted last week for embezzlement, deepening conflict between the judiciary and the legislature over the prosecution of corrupt politicians.

But following a three-hour meeting yesterday, the leaders of Brazil’s Senate published a letter refusing to enact the dismissal of Calheiros until the Supreme Court’s plenary rules on it Wednesday.

Emerging from the meeting, Calheiros told reporters he would continue in the post and criticized the attempt to remove him just nine days before his mandate officially ends.

“Democracy, even in Brazil, doesn’t deserve this,” he said.

The constitutional rift threatens to delay key measures in President Michel Temer’s efforts to restore fiscal discipline to Brazil in the midst of a two-year recession.