Brazil’s Temer refuses to resign

By Maria Paz Salas

SANTIAGO, Chile (AA) – President Michel Temer of Brazil rejects any idea of resigning before the end of the year, he told reporters at a breakfast in Brasilia on Thursday.

If Temer were to step down it would allow Brazilians to elect his replacement to take office in 2017.

Temer took leadership of the country in May, replacing Dilma Rousseff after she was impeached following allegations of manipulating budgets ahead of the country’s 2014 election.

But Temer is accused of illegally financing his campaign during the 2014 elections. He has promised to appeal if a court tries to remove him from office. A decision in the case is expected early next year.

“If there is a definitive sentence, it will be followed,” he said, adding, “but any ruling can and will be appealed”.

The Temer administration is scheduled to end in December 2018, but there is a growing number of Brazilian want him to step down to allow voters to choose a new president.

Two surveys last week found Temer has little public approval.

One poll showed 46 percent of Brazilians have a negative image of the president and another found 72 percent do not trust him.