Paulo Paim said that global events of such magnitude require the “utmost concentration.”
“Everyone’s attention should be on the Rio Olympics,” he said, adding that the decision by Chief Justice Ricardo Lewandowski to postpone the impeachment deliberations until after the Games was widely anticipated.
Paulo Paim heaped praise on the Chief Justice’s position on the matter and his decision to move the impeachment hearings to the end of August to make sure that they do not coincide with Rio 2016 when all eyes will be on Brazil.
He also appreciated the IOC’s request to postpone the impeachment procedure.
“We know that irrespective of the outcome of this impeachment process there will be mass protests in our divided society. People will be protesting in the streets and I’m glad that all this will come after the Games so that people can feel free to express their opinion,” Paulo Paim said.
Dilma Rousseff stepped down for 180 days in May after the Senate voted to start the impeachment process against her on accusations that she concealed a widening budget deficit ahead of the 2014 re-election.
Vice President Michel Temer became the acting head of state.
