Brazil president Dilma Rousseff loses impeachment vote

The embattled Brazilian president Dilma Roussef is just a step close to impeachment after a congressional committee voted to continue the process


She faces impeachment proceedings over allegations her administration violated fiscal rules to mask budget problems.

Her opponents say the process is in line with the wishes of the majority of Brazilians, while Ms Rousseff's supporters call it a blatant power grab by her enemies.

The special congressional commission voted 38-27 to recommend the continuation of the impeachment process - comfortably more than the 33 votes needed.

The panel's session lasted all day and was marked by a prolonged shouting match before the vote. There will now be a vote in the full lower house on whether to send the matter to the Senate for a possible trial.

With 342 votes in the 513-member Chamber of Deputies needed for the process to continue, analysts say the outcome is too close to call.

Brazil's biggest party, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, pulled out of Ms Rousseff's governing coalition late last month, forcing the government to scramble to secure the support of smaller parties to help block the impeachment process.

If the impeachment measure passes in the Chamber of Deputies, it goes to the Senate, which would decide whether to open a trial. If that happened, Ms Rousseff would be suspended from office for up to 180 days during a trial.