Brazilians rally as Rousseff faces judgment day

Hundreds of Brazilians have staged a demonstration in the country’s capital to show support for suspended president, Dilma Rousseff, whose impeachment trial begins on Thursday.

According to Press TV, the protesters held banners and placards reading "Oust Temer," and "We don't recognize a false cabinet," in reference to Brazilian interim President Michel Temer and his administration.

Rousseff faces charges of illegally manipulating finances to hide a growing public deficit ahead of her re-election in 2014.

The first Brazilian woman president has accused her opponents of trumping up the charges against her to remove her in a “coup.”

The impeachment trial of the suspended president, which was to begin on Thursday, is expected to last for several days.

Rousseff was among the attendees in the Wednesday rally, telling her supporters that she would fight and resist the impeachment to the end.

"I committed no crime. To stop this happening again, I must go to the Senate to defend Brazil's democracy, the political views that I advocate and the legitimate rights of the Brazilian people," she said.

According to a poll published by the Brazilian daily, O Globo, 51 senators were committed to voting to dismiss Rousseff while only 19 members were supporting her. 

A two-thirds majority of the Senate, or 54 votes, would be needed to see her permanently removed from office.

ME