Rousseff's request for Temer to remain interim president denied

Brazil's Supreme Court has denied requests filed by impeached President Dilma Rousseff asking for the impeachment vote against her to be suspended and for President Michel Temer to remain in an interim capacity.

Rousseff's petition alleged on Thursday that irregularities in impeachment process should invalidate it, Xinhua news agency reported.

The court said it will only interfere in the removal of a president in an "extreme circumstance".

According to the court, Rousseff's defence team had the opportunity to protest about the impeachment process and did not succeed in convincing the Senate about her innocence.

It also said crimes of responsibility for which Rousseff was removed from office were of an "essentially political character".

However, the court did ask for additional information on the impeachment process from the institutions involved and sent the case to Brazil's prosecutor-general.

On August 31, the Senate approved Rousseff's impeachment by 61 votes in favour to 20 against.

She was tried for fiscal irregularities such as delaying payments to public banks and taking out new loans without congressional approval, in violation of the Fiscal Responsibility Law.

Her impeachment means that Temer will serve as President until the end of 2018.

--IANS

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