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Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer during the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party convention in Brasilia last month. He is also facing the threat of impeachment. Photo: AP
Rio de Janeiro: The man who would take over if Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff​ is impeached, Vice President Michel Temer​, could now be running the risk of impeachment himself.
Supreme Court Judge Marco Aurelio Mello ruled on Tuesday that the lower house of Congress must open impeachment proceedings against Mr Temer because he faces the same allegations of breaking fiscal rules as Ms Rousseff.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff tours a new model of military transport aircraft developed by the Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer, in Brasilia on Tuesday. Photo: AP
Judge Mello ruled a commission must be created to examine the impeachment request against Mr Temer — the same procedure Ms Rousseff is now going through.
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The request was among four filed against Mr Temer – all of which were dismissed by the speaker of the lower house, Eduardo Cunha. Mr Cunha is a key ally and member of Mr Temer's party the PMDB, as well as an enemy of Ms Rousseff.
Judge Mello ruled that Mr Cunha overstepped his role by deciding to shelve the filing because he determined it lacked merit. His ruling reverses Mr Temer's dismissals in one of the filings, although Mr Cunha can appeal the decision to the full court.
A sign advertises 70 per cent discounts in the Saara discount shopping district of Rio de Janeiro, on Tuesday. Photo: Getty Images
Meanwhile on Tuesday, the head of the Senate, Renan Calheiros, suggested general elections could be a valid way out of the political crisis paralysing the country.
Speaking to journalists, he said "we cannot close any doors, or fail to discuss any alternative".
"We have to hold onto it as an alternative," Senator Calheiros, also from the PMDB said.
From left: the speaker of Brazil's lower house of Congress Eduardo Cunha, PMDB Vice President Romero Juca and Eliseu Padilha, a former transport minister. Photo: AP
Ms Rousseff appeared dismissive of the idea early on Tuesday saying, "convince the Congress and Senate to give up their mandates. Then come talk to me."
Calls for a general election have increased in recent weeks, as the possibility that Ms Rousseff might be impeached has become more likely.
With all three of those in line to succeed her – Mr Temer, Mr Cunha and Senator Calheiros – ensnared in the corruption scandal at the state-run oil company, Petrobras, a growing chorus is urging general elections as a way of wiping the slate clean and starting afresh.
Olympic rings during their inauguration ceremony at Madureira Park in Rio de Janeiro last year. Brazil's political and economic crisis is overshadowing preparations for the event. Photo: Felipe Dana
Proponents of the plan insist on the need to urgently resolve the current quagmire, saying that the longer the crisis drags on, the harder it will be to restart the country's flagging economy and bring down rising unemployment and inflation.
The country is also in the grip of an economic crisis – its worst recession in 25 years – and in the centre of a world health crisis brough on by the Zika virus. All this while staring into the fast approaching Rio Olympics to be held from Aug 5 to 21.
Also on Tuesday, Ms Rousseff ruled out a cabinet reshuffle ahead of a congressional vote on her impeachment, which is expected on April 17.
An inflatable figure in the likeness of Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, former president of Brazil, is seen as demonstrators gather during a protest against Dilma Rousseff in Brasilia in March. Photo: Bloomberg
Uncertainty over the cabinet had reigned since last week, when Brazil's largest party, the PMDB, pulled out of Ms Rousseff's governing coalition. Leaders of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party said its six ministers would resign immediately, but none has yet left the government. Mr Temer said he would stay because he was elected as vice president in the 2014 election.
Observers had said they expected Ms Rousseff to offer the posts to smaller parties to help secure their support in the impeachment vote. But Ms Rousseff said on Tuesday her government "does not intend to make any ministerial restructuring before the vote in the lower house."
If Ms Rousseff's foes score two-thirds of the 513 votes, the impeachment process against her moves forward in the Senate.
Supporters of President Dilma Rousseff gather at a rally in Rio on March 31. Photo: Getty Images
AP