Whether Temer can back promise still to be seen

RIO DE JANEIRO — The permanent ouster of deeply unpopular President Dilma Rousseff by Brazil’s Senate means that a man who is arguably just as unpopular is now faced with trying to ease the wounds of a divided nation mired in recession.

Long known as an uncharismatic backroom wheeler-dealer, Michel Temer inherits a shrinking economy, a Zika virus outbreak that has ravaged poor northeastern states and political instability fed by a sprawling corruption probe that has tarred much of the country’s political and business elite — himself included.

So far he’s struggled in the nearly four months he’s served as interim president following Rousseff’s May impeachment, which suspended her from office while a final trial was prepared. The Senate’s 61-20 vote on Wednesday to permanently remove her means Temer, who had been her vice president, will now serve out her term, which ends in late 2018.

Just hours after Rousseff was removed, Temer assured the nation his administration was up to the task.

“From today on, the expectations are much higher for the govern- ment. I hope that in these two years and four months, we do what we have declared — put Brazil back on track,” he said.

Temer also denied that the proceedings were a coup against Rousseff, which she repeatedly claimed throughout the process.

Temer said he planned to attend the G20 meetings in China this weekend, mentioning bilateral meetings that leaders from Spain, Japan, Italy and Saudi Arabia have already requested.

Whether Temer can convince Bra- zilians that he is worth a real shot is unclear.

He appeared tone-deaf with his first move in May: appointing an entirely white, male Cabinet to oversee a nation of 200 million people where more than 50 percent identify as black or mixed-race.

Three of Temer’s ministers had to quit within days of being named because of corruption allegations. And so far he has struggled to build consensus around key reforms, such as slimming the country’s pension system.