Wednesday, August 17, 2016 Brazil justice authorizes probe on RousseffSÃO PAULO — A Brazilian Federal Supreme Court justice (STF) has authorized the opening of an investigation into suspended President Dilma Rousseff and her predecessor Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for allegedly working to obstruct the course of a sweeping corruption probe, the GloboNews news channel said last night. In June, Zavascki barred the use of some wiretaps — also leaked by GloboNews — that showed Rousseff and Lula negotiating the cabinet appointment. Only the STF can authorize investigations against Rousseff and Cabinet ministers, because they enjoy immunity from prosecution. Late last month, a federal judge pressed charges against Lula for allegedly working to obstruct the work of investigators in the Car Wash probe. Rousseff had been publicly mulling the idea of a plebiscite for weeks as the Senate moves closer to the impeachment vote.

Source: Bueno Aires Herald August 17, 2016 02:48 UTC