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Dilma Rousseff's fiercest foe suspended by Brazil's top court

By Andrew V. Pestano
Eduardo Cuhna, speaker of Brazil's lower house, was suspended on Thursday on allegations of intimidating lawmakers and attempting to obstruct a corruption investigation. In December, Cuhna opened impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff. File photo: CC/wikimedia.org/Ivaldo Cavalcante/ Agencia Camara
Eduardo Cuhna, speaker of Brazil's lower house, was suspended on Thursday on allegations of intimidating lawmakers and attempting to obstruct a corruption investigation. In December, Cuhna opened impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff. File photo: CC/wikimedia.org/Ivaldo Cavalcante/ Agencia Camara

BRASILIA, Brazil, May 5 (UPI) -- Eduardo Cuhna, the Brazilian political leader who began impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff, has been suspended by the Supreme Court.

Cuhna, 57, was suspended following allegations that he intimidated lawmakers and attempted to obstruct a corruption investigation. Cuhna was indicted in August on charges stemming from that investigation.

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The decision to suspend Cuhna was made by Justice Teori Zavascki following a request made by Rodrigo Janot, Brazil's attorney general.

Cunha, the speaker of Brazil's lower house of Congress, faces corruption allegations related to the $3.9 billion Petrobras scandal. He is accused of taking $1.4 million in bribes and of lying about a secret bank account in Switzerland. He is considered even more unpopular than embattled President Rousseff.

Waldir Maranhao, also under investigation in the Petrobras corruption scandal, will replace Cunha as speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.

The Petrobras scandal, which has shaken both the government and the oil company and contributed to Brazil's recession, has led to dozens of arrests of former and current Petrobras executives, as well as investigators of numerous government officials.

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Cuhna's suspension comes as Brazil's Senate is set to vote next week on whether to begin an impeachment trial against Rousseff. Brazil's Chamber of Deputies previously voted to move forward with impeachment proceedings.

A simple majority voting to initiate an impeachment trial will see Rousseff suspended for 180 days. Vice President Michel Temer will serve as interim president.

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