"Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's first woman president, defies easy
categorization.
Born affluent, she took up arms against Brazil's military dictatorship.
An economist, she led the country from a period of economic plenty to a
deep recession. And although she was head of state during years when a
massive graft scheme was unearthed, she was never accused of corruption
for personal gain. Her career trajectory, with complex turns that
eventually ended in her impeachment in 2016, is also the story of modern
Brazil.
Understanding both Rousseff's rise to lead Latin America's most populous
nation and why she was ousted from the presidency provide a window into
how Brazil came to be where it is: torn by political divisions, mired in
ongoing corruption and trapped in an economic slump worsened by the
Covid-19 pandemic.
Combining their personal experiences of covering the drama of Rousseff's
impeachment with deep research and interviews, Mauricio Savarese and
Peter Prengaman of The Associated Press present a detailed examination
of this critical period in Brazil's history, producing an essential book
for Brazil watchers and, more broadly, for watchers of democracy.
"Dilma's Downfall" captures the often larger-than-life personalities of
impeachment's main players. The narrative also shows how the deeply
polarizing process provided a clear opening for Brazil's current
President, Jair Bolsonaro, and the hard right. To Rousseff's supporters,
her removal was a coup. To opponents, removing a president who had grown
unpopular would give Brazil a fresh start. Either way, Savarese and
Prengaman show the removal of Dilma Rousseff had lasting consequences
for the nation with the fallout still being felt to this day."
