Senate Committee Approves Labor Reform As Temer Charges Proceed

A Committee of the Brazilian Senate approved President Michel Temer's labor reforms Wednesday night, as the corruption charges against him move from the Supreme Court to Congress. The vote was 16 in favor, nine against, and one abstention.

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The government had to yield to some changes introduced by opposition senators, numbering more than six revisions.

The bill will now go to a vote on the floor of the full Senate next week.

Temer has made the reform of Brazil's Labor Code, along with pension reforms, one of the central planks of his presidency. The bill seeks to remove many of the rights and protections which Brazilian workers have enjoyed for three-quarters of a century, since the time of President Getulio Vargas.

At the same time, the request by Attorney General Rodrigo Janot for corruption charges to be brought against President Temer has been delivered to Brazil's Supreme Court of Justice. The STF is expected to pass it on by Thursday to the Lower House of Congress, which must decide whether to pursue the charges or not.

The Supreme Court has rejected a proposal from the attorney general that it should hear an initial defence from Temer's lawyers. Instead it decided to send the request for charges straight to Congress. This is a small victory for the president. He wants the process to proceed as fast as possible to a vote in the House where he believes he stills enjoys enough support to block a trial.

Temer has said the accusations are "fiction" despite the Brazilian Federal Police delivering evidence against the president, and a leaked conversation appearing to show him approving a bribe.

"I've never seen any of that money and I have never taken part in planning to commit any crimes," Temer said. "I tell you, my friends, without any fear of error, that this charge is a fiction."

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On Monday night, the Attorney General Rodrigo Janot formally accused Temer and his aide Rodrigo Rocha Loures of receiving and approving bribes amidst the largest corruption investigation in the country known as Operation Car Wash. It was the first time a sitting Brazilian president has ever faced such a request for charges. If the lower chamber of Congress votes by two-thirds to go ahead with charges, Temer would have to stand down for up to 180 days while his trial takes place.

Meanwhile, Temer announced his nomination to replace Janot, who steps down on Sept. 17 Wednesday. In an unusual move, Temer named Raquel Dodge, who came in second in a vote by the National Association of Attorneys of the Republic, whose first place winner is ordinarily the one selected by the president.

Reportedly, Temer chose Dodge — who has opposed Janot in the past and is far more sympathetic to his allies in congress — in an attempt to gain the necessary votes to avoid a corruption trial.

Nicolao Dino, the top vote-getter, who is reported to be closer to Janot, was passed over by Temer.

If found guilty, Temer would be removed from the presidency and could face a jail sentence of between 2 and 12 years.

If he is acquitted by the court, or the judges fail to reach a verdict within the 180 days of the trial, Temer may return to the presidency to finish his term which ends on December 31, 2018.

Brazilian trade unions are gearing up for what they are promising will be a massive general strike on Friday. They are demanding that the labor and pension forms be withdrawn and that President Temer stand down and make way for direct presidential elections.