Brazil interim president promises 'democracy' showcase

Brazil's interim president, who faces accusations of using an impeachment drive against Dilma Rousseff to mount a coup, promised Wednesday that the upcoming Olympics will showcase the country's democratic credentials.

"When you put on your medals, we will be showing Brazil to the world, a Brazil where democracy is stable, where things are working very well, where the institutions function," Michel Temer told members of the Brazilian Olympic team in the capital Brasilia.

"I think we can say, 'Welcome to the democratic world of Brazil' during the Olympic Games," the interim leader said.

Temer took over from Rousseff after her suspension on May 12 for an impeachment trial. She is accused of having illegally managed the federal budget.

Rousseff, from the leftist Workers' Party, accuses Temer of mounting a coup to put himself and his center-right PMDB party in power. A decisive vote on whether to remove her from office is expected at the end of August.

Both Rousseff and Temer have been invited to the opening ceremony on August 5. The awkward arrangement will reflect tensions across the country, with demonstrations expected in Rio at the start of the Games.

Temer said however that the Olympics would help reduce tensions, saying "sport is a way of bringing people together and making friends, brothers, and that is what we're doing in Brazil."

Source: AFP