Brazil's Crisis Reflects Demise of Representative Democracy Across the West

SAO PAULO - On August 31st, President Dilma Roussef was impeached by the Brazilian Senate. After five long days of debate 61 senators out of 81, far more than the two thirds majority required to remove a president, condemned her for fiscal and budgetary crimes.

Her supporters alleged that the president was the victim of a 'parliamentary coup'. A person elected by 54 million votes, innocent of any crime, had been unjustly overthrown. In Latin America this contention was echoed by paragons of democracy and rule of law such as Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador.

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