Rousseff Marks May Day by Expanding Brazil's Anti-Poverty Aid

Brazil's beleaguered President Dilma Rousseff on Sunday vowed to raise spending on her party's signature anti-poverty program in an appeal to her political base, warning that her opponents would slash social spending if she is impeached later this month. 

RELATED:
Majority of Brazilians Don't Want Temer as President: Poll

Rousseff announced a 9 percent increase in the Bolsa Family program fund, which provides financial aid to poor families, and promised a new wave of public housing.

The moves follows data last week that showed tumbling tax revenues led to a widening of the budget deficit in March.

The center-left Rousseff, speaking at a Labor Day rally in the industrial heartland of São Paulo, argued her potential impeachment by the Senate next month would open space for a dismantling of labor rules that protect millions of workers in Latin America's largest economy.

"They are saying this government is finished. They are trying to paralyze us, but the government is doing its part," Rousseff said.  "This is not only a coup against a democratically elected government, but also a coup against the hard-won rights of the workers of this country."

A Senate committee is discussing whether to accept a request by the lower house to put Rousseff on trial for allegedly breaking budgetary rules.

RELATED:
Dilma's Impeachment Bad for Democracy, Argues Temer's Daughter

If a majority of the 81-seat Senate votes to do so, as expected, Rousseff could be suspended from office as soon as May 11 and her vice president Michel Temer, of the opposing Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), would take over.

Recent polls show that a clear majority of senators favor putting Rousseff on trial for using state banks to fund government programs, an offense that violates Brazil's fiscal responsibility law, although she maintains her innocence in the scandal and is not accused of personal enrichment, unlike some of those calling for her ouster.

Rousseff said her opponents, in addition to loosening labor legislation, plan to weaken social programs that have helped keep her Workers' Party in power since 2003.