巴西总统面临政治危机

AS IT IS 2016-03-22 Brazil's President Faces Political Crisis 巴西总统面临政治危机

President Dilma Rousseff faces a political crisis as a Supreme¹ Court Justice has blocked her Cabinet appointment and the majority of Brazilians support her impeachment³.

On Friday, Justice Gilmar Mendes blocked the appointment of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after he was sworn in as Rousseff’s chief of staff. The decision permits a federal judge to continue the investigation⁴ against da Silva.

Rousseff’s opponents say she is trying to help da Silva, her one-time mentor⁵. Under Brazilian law, cabinet-level members cannot be investigated, charged or jailed except with the authorization⁶ of the Supreme Court.

The president has insisted the appointment is not linked to da Silva’s legal problems. She says da Silva would help put the country back on track economically. She also says he could help fight attempts to oust⁷ her over accusations⁸ of financial mismanagement.

Officials are investigating Rousseff and her Workers' Party for their part in the corruption⁹ scandal at state oil company, Petrobras.

Prosecutors¹⁰ said more than $2 billion was paid in bribes¹¹ and other funds by construction and engineering companies in exchange for inflated¹² Petrobras contracts.

Both Rousseff and da Silva have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. But Rousseff has seen her popularity drop sharply.

Support for Rousseff’s impeachment

A new poll released on Sunday showed strong support for Rousseff’s impeachment.

The poll says 68 percent of Brazilians surveyed want lawmakers to impeach² Rousseff.

The effort to impeach the president moved forward last week when the Parliament’s lower house created a special commission to look into accusations of financial mismanagement.

Nearly two weeks ago, an estimated 3 million people took to the streets in nationwide anti-government demonstrations¹³. Protests also took place Thursday in Brasilia and Sao Paulo, where demonstrators showed dolls of da Silva in black-and-white prison stripes.

Brazil faces more problems beyond the Petrobras corruption investigation.

The country is the center of the worldwide spread of the Zika virus, which scientists say can lead to birth defects. And it is facing a recession while preparing for the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August.

Words in This Story

injunction –n. an order from a court requiring that some action take place or be stopped

impeachment –n. charging a public official with a crime done in office

public figure –n. a public official or someone known to the public because of their profession

overstep –v. to go beyond what is correct or permitted

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 impeach   

v.弹劾；检举

参考例句：

• We must impeach the judge for taking bribes.我们一定要检举法官收受贿赂。
• The committee decided to impeach the President.委员会决定弹劾总统。

3 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 mentor   

n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导

参考例句：

• He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
• He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

6 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

7 oust   

vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐

参考例句：

• The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
• The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。

8 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

9 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

10 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

11 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

12 inflated   

adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨

参考例句：

• He has an inflated sense of his own importance. 他自视过高。
• They all seem to take an inflated view of their collective identity. 他们对自己的集体身份似乎都持有一种夸大的看法。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。