BRAZIL – A congressional committee in Brazil’s lower house on Monday voted in favor of impeaching President Dilma Rousseff. After a full day of debating, the majority of the 65-member special committee voted in favor of the impeachment: 38 lawmakers voted yes, while 27 voted no.  The heated debate ended at approximately 8:30 p.m. As the results were read, lawmakers yelled and waved a mix of colorful signs. Some said, “There won’t be a coup” while others demanded “Impeachment now.”

The impeachment proposal will now be taken to the full session of the lower house, where representatives will begin debating on Friday. The final vote is expected to be delivered this Sunday. If impeachment is approved by at least two-thirds of the 513 members of the lower house, it will then be sent to the Senate, where the president of the Supreme Court will oversee the process.  If the impeachment is not approved in the lower house, the process is nullified.  Pro- and anti-government demonstrations are expected to gather near the congressional esplanade this weekend.

(CNN)…[+]