Concept in Definition ABC

High public officials are not at margin of the law and therefore an agent can be tried. This legal figure is known internationally as impeachent. For this type of impeachment process to start, a parliament must reach an agreement so that the accused can be tried. However, in practice impeachment is considered to be in reality impeachment. The case of Dilma Rousseff in Brazil in 2016, which we will focus on later in the article, is a clear example of this.

In Spanish the term impeachment is usually translated in several ways: motion of censure, impeachment, political accusation or challenge

When an agent has been impeachment he must assume the possibility of being rejected by the legislative power that represents the popular will. If finally the vote of the parliamentarians opposes the president, normally the president of a nation, said agent is dismissed and can no longer perform his duties.

The two faces of impeachment

In its origin the impeachment arose in England in the fourteenth century with the intention that the monarch not was protected by the laws and thus could be removed if the representatives of the people agreed to vote. Therefore, in principle it was presented as a valid mechanism for the representative of the

executive power had a limitation against possible abuses. However, some consider that the impeachment has now become a camouflaged coup d'état promoted by the representatives of the people.

The impeachment of the president of Brazil Dilma Rousseff

In 2016 the process of impeachment or dismissal of Dilma Rousseff began. She was accused of using money from public banks for the purpose of masking the state deficit, a strategy which is against the law. The opposition parliamentarians considered that these indications were sufficient to initiate an impeachment.

From this moment the impeachment began with all the procedures and votes established by law, since it is necessary that the two houses of representatives speak and reach a certain percentage of votes in favor of the definitive dismissal of the Chairwoman. This complex process was put into functioning in relation to Dilma Rousseff and after the pertinent votes she was dismissed from her position and as a consequence the vice president of the nation assumed the maximum responsibility.

While impeachment is part of the tradition Anglo-Saxon legal system, in Latin America it has occurred on several occasions, specifically in Argentina, Guatemala, Venezuela and the aforementioned case of Brazil.

Photos: Fotolia - absent84 / filipefrazao

Topics in Impeachment