Brazil’s president dismisses resignation demands

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has fiercely dismissed calls for her resignation amid a major fraud scandal, saying there is no reason for her to resign.

“Resigning is a voluntary act. Those who want my resignation are recognizing that there’s no real basis to request my exit from this position,” said Rousseff during a Friday news conference in the capital Brasilia.

According to Press TV, the Brazilian president’s opponents have been calling for her resignation amid a fraud scandal at state oil company Petrobras.

She is also facing an opposition-sponsored impeachment drive, a persisting recession, and an investigation into alleged electoral violations.

“No one has the right to ask for the resignation of a legitimately elected president without showing proof that I violated the constitution to warrant my impeachment,” Rousseff said.

New allegations also implicate her predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in a fraud scandal.

The widely popular former president was charged Wednesday with money laundering over his alleged ownership of a luxury condo in connection with the Petrobras scandal.

ME