Alwaght- Several dozen protesters demand the resignation of US-backed Brazilian President Michel Temer, who was allegedly caught on a tape endorsing a bribe.
According to the Globo newspaper, the demonstrators had tried to break into the parliament’s building, but police used pepper spray against them.
The trade unions and public movements have announced plans to launch nationwide protests demanding early elections. The demonstrations are scheduled for Sunday.
Earlier reports said Brazil’s businessmen have provided a tape to the Supreme Court in which Temer allegedly authorizes a bribe to silence former Speaker of the House Eduardo Cunha, who had spearheaded the impeachment of ex-President Dilma Rousseff. Cunha is now serving a 15-year sentence for corruption and money-laundering.
Alessandro Molon, an opposition lawmaker from the Rede party, has filed a demand to Speaker of the lower house, Rodrigo Maia, for impeaching Temer. Under the Brazilian law, the speaker should either start considering or reject a request on impeaching the president. Beth Sahao, a Sao Paulo state lawmaker for the Worker’s Party, said the report confirmed what opponents had been waiting for: "Concrete evidence of corruption in the Temer government, but especially of the person of President Temer himself."
Temer, who took office in August 2016, has rejected the accusations against him.
WikiLeaks documents show Temer previously spied for the United States spy agencies in the country.
According to the whistleblowing website, Temer communicated with the US embassy in Brazil via telegram, and such content would be classified as "sensitive" and "for official use only."
Rousseff was suspended from office on May 11 after the Senate voted to put her on trial for breaking budget laws in a historic decision brought on by a deep recession and a corruption scandal.
Rousseff, speaking after being notified of her suspension said, "I may have made mistakes but I did not commit any crime." She called the impeachment "fraudulent" and "a coup."
