Jose Eduardo Cardozo, former justice minister and lawyer of Brazil's suspended President Dilma Rousseff, delivers a speech during a session of the Brazilian Senate in Brasilia Aug. 9, 2016. The Brazilian Senate decided Wednesday to give the go-ahead to an impeachment trial against suspended President Dilma Rousseff. (Xinhua/Andre Dusek/Agencia Estado)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian Senate decided Wednesday to give the go-ahead to an impeachment trial against suspended President Dilma Rousseff.
At the end of a lengthy session that lasted over 15 hours, senators voted 59 to 21 to approve the trial, surpassing the 41 votes needed to open the trial.
Rousseff is accused of committing fiscal fraud in an attempt to balance the 2014 budget. She has not yet made comments on the Senate's decision.
According to earlier reports, the impeachment trial is expected to take place in late August or early September.
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Brazil's Senate impeachment commission recommends removing Rousseff
BRASILIA, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Senate impeachment commission on Thursday recommended the full Senate remove suspended President Dilma Rousseff in an impeachment trial for alleged fiscal irregularities.
The report, compiled by Senator Antonio Anastasia, from the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), received 14 votes in favor, five against and one abstention by the commission members, who are in charge of looking into the case against Rousseff. Full story