Constitutional Atomic Bomb or Paper Tiger? The Institution of Impeachment in the Federative Republic of Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.19.2022.81.03Keywords:
Brazil, impeachment, constitutional tort, Fernando Collor, RousseffAbstract
Over the course of less than a quarter of a century, two Brazilian Heads of State – Fernando Collor in 1992 and Dilma Rousseff in 2016 – have been removed from office by impeachment. There has been much controversy surrounding both proceedings, particularly the latter. The article seeks to discuss briefly the history of the proceeding of impeachment in Brazil and its significance for the country’s political life after 1988. Through an analysis of the impeachment cases of President Fernando Collor and President Dilma Rousseff, and overview of the literature on impeachment in Latin America, the paper will address the similarities and differences present in both cases in which a Brazilian Head of State was removed from office. The last part of the article will further discuss the disputes among Brazilian jurists triggered by differing evaluations of this legal measure and, in particular, the more recent case of its implementation in Brazil.
Downloads
PlumX Metrics of this article
References
Adeodato J.M., “O impeachment no estado democrático,” Folha de S. Paulo, 9 September 2016, at https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/opiniao/2016/09/1811563‑o‑impeachment‑no‑estado‑democratico.shtml.
Google Scholar
Argolo F., “A Woman out of Place: Dilma Rousseff in Veja Magazine,” Latin American Research Centre, 2018, at https://larc.ucalgary.ca/publications/woman‑out‑place‑dilma‑rousseff‑veja‑magazine.
Google Scholar
Badaró G., “Presidente reeleito pode sofrer impeachment por ato realizado em mandato anterior? Sim,” Folha de S. Paulo, 22 August 2015, at https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/opiniao/2015/08/1672125‑presidente‑reeleito‑pode‑sofrer‑impeachment‑por‑ato‑realizado‑em‑mandato‑anterior‑sim.shtml.
Google Scholar
Badin L.A., Hippolito R., “Impeachment,” in CPDOC encyclopedic repository of the Getúlia Vargas Foundation, 2009, at http://www.fgv.br/cpdoc/acervo/dicionarios/verbete‑tematico/impeachment.
Google Scholar
Bahia A.G.M.F., Oliveira M.A.C., Vecchiatti P.R.V., “Supremo Tribunal Federal deve barrar ou nulificar impeachment sem crime de responsabilidade,” Empório do Direito, 25 March 2016, at https://emporiododireito.com.br/leitura/supremo‑tribunal‑federal‑deve‑barrar‑ou‑nulificar‑impeachment‑sem‑crime‑de‑responsabilidade‑por‑alexandre‑gustavo‑melo‑franco‑de‑moraes‑bahia‑marcelo‑andrade‑cattoni‑de‑oliveira‑e‑paulo‑roberto‑iotti‑vecchiatti.
Google Scholar
Barbosa R., Ruinas de um governo, Rio de Janeiro 1931.
Google Scholar
Barros S.R., “Impeachment: peça de museu?,” Revista Brasileira de Direito, vol. 7, no. 1 (2011), pp. 112‑132.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18256/2238-0604/revistadedireito.v7n1p112-132
Google Scholar
Brossard P., O impeachment. Aspectos da responsabilidade política do Presidente da República, São Paulo 1992.
Google Scholar
Câmara dos Deputados, Plenário – Sessão Deliberativa – 17/04/2016, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V‑u2jD7W3yU.
Google Scholar
Câmara dos Deputados, A perplexidade do brasileiro diante do confisco das contas bancárias e poupanças, at https://www.camara.leg.br/radio/programas/273499‑a‑perplexidade‑do‑brasileiro‑diante‑do‑confisco‑das‑contas‑bancarias‑e‑poupancas‑05‑44/.
Google Scholar
Camargo M.L., Vieira J.R., “O Impeachment e o seu desenho institucional conflitivo,” Jota, 20 January 2016, at https://www.jota.info/opiniao‑e‑analise/artigos/o‑impeachment‑e‑o‑seu‑desenho‑institucional‑conflitivo‑20012016.
Google Scholar
Coletta R., “No 2º mandato de Dilma, número de pedidos de impeachment empata com o de medidas provisórias,” Época, 27 April 2016, at https://epoca.globo.com/tempo/expresso/noticia/2016/04/no‑2‑mandato‑de‑dilma‑numero‑de‑pedidos‑de‑impeachment‑empata‑com‑o‑de‑medidas‑provisorias.html.
Google Scholar
Cretella J., Do impeachment no direito brasileiro, São Paulo 1992.
Google Scholar
Czajkowski J., “Prezydent republiki w Ameryce Łacińskiej,” in M. Grzybowski (ed.), Szkice o pozycji ustrojowej i statusie głowy państwa, Cracow 2003.
Google Scholar
Datafolha, Dilma vê reprovação subir e alta no apoio a sua saída, 2016, at http://datafolha.folha.uol.com.br/opiniaopublica/2016/03/1752306‑dilma‑ve‑reprovacao‑subir‑e‑alta‑no‑apoio‑a‑sua‑saida.shtml.
Google Scholar
Datafolha, Avaliação do governo Collor, 1992, at http://datafolha.folha.uol.com.br/opiniaopublica/1992/06/1222335‑avaliacao‑governo‑collor‑‑‑1992.shtml.
Google Scholar
Doria P., Why the Political Crisis in Brazil Isn’t a Coup, OpenDemocracy, 25 May 2016, at https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/coup‑in‑brazil‑dilma‑rousseff/.
Google Scholar
Dworkin R., “A Kind of Coup,” The New York Review of Books, 14 January 1999, at https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1999/01/14/a‑kind‑of‑coup/.
Google Scholar
Encarnación O.G., The Myth of Civil Society: Social Capital and Democratic Consolidation in Spain and Brazil, New York 2003.
Google Scholar
Ferreira Filho M., Curso de direito constitucional, São Paulo 2012.
Google Scholar
Figueiredo A.C., “The Collor Impeachment and Presidential Government in Brazil,” in M. Llanos, L. Marsteintredet (eds), Presidential Breakdowns in Latin America. Causes and Outcomes of Executive Instability in Developing Democracies, New York 2010, pp. 111‑127.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230105812_7
Google Scholar
Figueiredo A.C., “The Role of Congress as an Agency of Horizontal Accountability: Lessons from the Brazilian Experience,” in S. Mainwaring, C. Welna (eds), Democratic Accountability in Latin America, Oxford 2003, pp. 170‑197.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/0199256373.003.0006
Google Scholar
Fontainha F. de Castro, Silva A.M.D., Nuñez I.S. (eds), História oral do Supremo (1988‑2013), vol. 20, Rio de Janeiro 2017.
Google Scholar
Gallo C.P., Crimes de responsabilidade. Do impeachment, Rio de Janeiro 1992.
Google Scholar
Guazina L., Prior H., Araújo B. (eds), (Des)construindo uma queda. A mídia e o impeachment de Dilma Rousseff, Florianópolis 2019.
Google Scholar
Hochstetler K., “Rethinking Presidentialism: Challenges and Presidential Falls in South America,” Comparative Politics, vol. 38, no. 4 (2006), pp. 401‑418, https://doi.org/10.2307/20434009.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/20434009
Google Scholar
“Painel de Indicadores,” IBGE, at https://www.ibge.gov.br/indicadores.
Google Scholar
Jiménez C., “Boff: ‘La democracia brasileña es más farsa que realidad’,” El País, 29 May 2017, at https://elpais.com/internacional/2017/05/26/actualidad/1495833522_994721.html.
Google Scholar
José E., “O homem errado,” Teoria e Debate, 9 May 2013, at https://teoriaedebate.org.br/2013/05/09/%EF%BB%BFo‑homem‑errado/.
Google Scholar
Kingstone P., “‘I’m Mad as Hell…’: Brazilian Protests in Comparative Perspective,” E‑International Relations, 6 August 2013, at https://www.e‑ir.info/2013/08/06/im‑mad‑as‑hell‑and‑im‑not‑going‑to‑take‑this‑anymore‑brazilian‑protests‑in‑comparative‑perspective/.
Google Scholar
Kozicki K., Chueiri V.K., “Impeachment: A arma nuclear constitucional,” Lua Nova, vol. 108 (2019), pp. 157‑176, https://doi.org/10.1590/0102‑157176/108.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-157176/108
Google Scholar
Laidler P., “The Contemporary Constitutional Position of the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil from the Perspective of the Civil Rights Process,” in K. Derwich, M. Kania (eds), Prawa człowieka w Ameryce Łacińskiej. Teoria i praktyka. Los derechos humanos en América Latina.
Google Scholar
Teoría y práctica, Krakow 2014, pp. 143‑161.
Google Scholar
Limongi F., Figueiredo A.C., “Bases institucionais de presidencialismo de coalizão,” Lua Nova, vol. 44 (1998), pp. 81‑106, https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102‑64451998000200005.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-64451998000200005
Google Scholar
Linz J.J., “The Perils of Presidentialism,” Journal of Democracy, vol. 1, no. 1 (1990), pp. 51‑69.
Google Scholar
Ławniczak A., Ustroje polityczne państw latynoamerykańskich, Wrocław 2008.
Google Scholar
Marsteintredet L., Berntzen E., “Reducing the Perils of Presidentialism in Latin America through Presidential Interruptions,” Comparative Politics, vol. 41, no. 1 (2008), pp. 83‑101, https://doi.org/10.5129/001041508X12911362383714.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5129/001041508X12911362383714
Google Scholar
Matoso F., Calgaro F., “Dilma anuncia pacote anticorrupção e oficializa entrega ao Congresso,” G1, 18 March 2015, at http://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/2015/03/dilma‑encaminha‑ao‑congresso‑nacional‑pacote‑anticorrupcao.html.
Google Scholar
Mauerberg Jr A., Pereira C., Biderman C., “The Evolution of Theories about the Brazilian Multiparty Presidential System,” Journal of Politics in Latin America, vol. 7, no. 1 (2015), pp. 143‑161, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1866802X1500700105.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1866802X1500700105
Google Scholar
Moraes G.B.P., Curso de direito constitucional, São Paulo 2016.
Google Scholar
O’Donnell G., “Demokracja delegacyjna,” in P. Śpiewak (ed.), Przyszłość demokracji. Wybór tekstów, transl. by P. Rymarczyk, Warsaw 2005, pp. 169‑189.
Google Scholar
Olechno A., “Brazylia,” in S. Bożyk, M. Grzybowski (eds), Systemy ustrojowe państw współczesnych, Białystok 2012.
Google Scholar
Paixão C., “Um golpe desconstituinte?,” Jota, 12 May 2016, at https://www.jota.info/opiniao‑e‑analise/artigos/democracia‑e‑constituicao‑um‑golpe‑desconstituinte‑12052016.
Google Scholar
Peixinho M.M., “O processo de impeachment no Brasil e o estado democrático de direito,” Quaestio Iuris, vol. 10, no. 3 (2017), pp. 1943‑1963, https://doi.org/10.12957/rqi.2017.29696.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12957/rqi.2017.29696
Google Scholar
Perez‑Líñan A., Presidential Impeachment and the New Political Instability in Latin America, New York 2007.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511510335
Google Scholar
Petelczyc J., Cichy M., “Jak Partia Pracujących zmieniła Brazylię. Wywiad z prof. Ladislauem Dowborem,” in iidem (eds), Brazylia, kraj przyszłości?, Warsaw 2016, pp. 21‑38.
Google Scholar
Power T.J., “Optimism, Pessimism, and Coalitional Presidentialism: Debating the Institutional Design of Brazilian Democracy,” Bulletin of Latin American Research, vol. 29, no. 1 (2010), pp. 18‑33, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470‑9856.2009.00304.x.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-9856.2009.00304.x
Google Scholar
Power T.J., “Politicized Democracy: Competition, Institutions, and ‘Civic Fatigue’ in Brazil,” Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs, vol. 33, no. 3 (2000), pp. 75‑112, https://doi.org/10.2307/165934.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/165934
Google Scholar
Rattinger A., “The Impeachment Process of Brazil: A Comparative Look at Impeachment in Brazil and the United States,” University of Miami Inter‑American Law Review, vol. 49 (2018), pp. 129‑166.
Google Scholar
Russo R., “STF pode mudar decisão do Congresso sobre impeachment, diz especialista – entrevista com André Ramos Tavares,” Folha de S. Paulo, 20 April 2016, at https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/poder/2016/04/1763050‑stf‑pode‑mudar‑decisao‑do‑congresso‑sobre‑impeachment‑diz‑especialista.shtml.
Google Scholar
Sallum Jr B., “Crise política e impeachment,” Novos Estudos CEBRAP, vol. 35, no. 2 (2016), pp. 183‑203, https://doi.org/10.25091/S0101‑3300201600020010.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25091/S0101-3300201600020010
Google Scholar
Sandy M., “Dilma Rousseff ’s Impeachment is the Start of Brazil’s Crisis – Not the End,” The Time, 1 September 2016, at https://time.com/4476011/brazil‑dilma‑rousseff‑crisis‑impeachment/.
Google Scholar
Santos F., Vilarouca M.G., “Political Institutions and Governability from FHC to Lula,” in P. Kingstone, T.J. Power (eds), Democratic Brazil Revisited, Pittsburgh 2008, pp. 57‑80.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt6wr9x1.9
Google Scholar
Schreiber M., “Ação que pode cassar chapa Dilma‑Temer entra na reta final: e agora?,” BBC News Brasil, 28 March 2017, at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/brasil‑39413855.
Google Scholar
Schwarcz L., Starling H., Brasil: uma biografia, São Paulo 2015 [ebook, mobi format].
Google Scholar
Smith A.E., “Is the Impeachment Trial of Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff a Coup?,” The Washington Post, 20 April 2016, at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey‑cage/wp/2016/04/20/is‑the‑impeachment‑trial‑of‑brazils‑dilma‑rousseff‑a‑coup/.
Google Scholar
Streck L., “Constituição é contra impeachment de Dilma por fato do mandato anterior,” Revista Consultor Jurídico, 24 August 2015, at https://www.conjur.com.br/2015‑ago‑24/lenio‑streck‑constituicao‑impeachment‑mandato‑anterior.
Google Scholar
Stürzenhofecker M., “Suspendierung Rousseffs: Brasiliens Bankrotterklärung,” Die Zeit, 12 May 2016, at https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2016‑05/dilma‑rousseff‑brasilien‑absetzung.
Google Scholar
Szymanek J., “Legislatywa i egzekutywa w prezydenckich i półprezydenckich systemach rządów” [Legislature and Executive in Presidential and Semi‑Presidential Systems of Government], Przegląd Sejmowy, vol. 25, no. 1(138) (2017), pp. 103‑136.
Google Scholar
“Time to Go,” The Economist, 26 March 2016, at https://www.economist.com/leaders/2016/03/26/time‑to‑go.
Google Scholar
Van Dijk T.A., “How Globo media manipulated the impeachment of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff,” Discourse & Communication, vol. 11, no. 2 (2017), pp. 199‑229, https://doi.org/10.1177/1750481317691838.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1750481317691838
Google Scholar
Vasconcellos M., Rodas S., “Supremo Tribunal Federal não pode rever mérito de decisão de impeachment – entrevista com Manoel Gonçalves Ferreira Filho,” Consultor Jurídico, 1 May 2016, at https://www.conjur.com.br/2016‑mai‑01/entrevista‑manoel‑goncalves‑ferreira‑filho‑constitucionalista.
Google Scholar
Viana N., “Comparato: ‘O impeachment hoje é absolutamente ilegítimo’ – entrevista com Fábio Konder Comparato,” Publica. Agência de Jornalismo Investigativo, 4 December 2015, at https://apublica.org/2015/12/truco‑comparato‑o‑impeachment‑hoje‑e‑absolutamente‑ilegitimo/.
Google Scholar
Watts J., “Dilma Rousseff Impeachment: What You Need To Know – the Guardian Briefing,” The Guardian, 31 August 2016, at https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/aug/31/dilma‑rousseff‑impeachment‑brazil‑what‑you‑need‑to‑know.
Google Scholar
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
