Brazilian Congressmen Begin Impeachment Process Against Vice President Mourão

By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In a bizarre latest twist of Bolsonaro’s embattled government, Brazilian congressman Marco Feliciano, of the Podemos party, has started an impeachment process against sitting vice president Hamilton Mourão.

Feliciano submitted the official protocol for an impeachment process on Tuesday, April 16th, accusing Mourão of “indecent, dishonorable and unworthy conduct” as well as of “furtively trying to take power” from President Jair Bolsonaro.

On Twitter, Feliciano said that his petition is merely a warning intended to keep the vice president loyal.

He added that former president Dilma received 19 impeachment requests before the final one, and called for unity.

Commentators have pointed out that this is another sign of a growing unease between the many different factions united under Bolsonaro’s leadership, with increasing friction between the hard-line religious faction led by former astrologer, self-styled philosopher, and Bolsonaro’s unofficial guru Olavo de Carvalho, and the military wing of the government led by Vice President Mourão.

According to Folha de S. Paulo columnist Mônica Bergamo, Carvalho encouraged Feliciano to file the petition, adding that the two were recently together in the United States.

Bergamo quotes Feliciano as saying “I said I was thinking about submitting the request and he [Carvalho] said, ‘Do what you can to shield the president. He [Mourão] cannot rule.'”

Impeachment in Brazil has a long and controversial history, with former Vice President Dilma Rousseff being the last President to fall foul of the country’s congress in 2016. Rio mayor Marcelo Crivella currently faces an impeachment process.