Dilma Rousseff Fast Facts – CNN
Father: Pedro Rousseff, construction entrepreneur
Mother: Dilma Jane (da Silva) Rousseff, teacher
Marriages: Carlos Araujo (1973-2000, divorced); Claudio Galeno Linhares (1968-early 1970s, divorced)
Children: with Carlos Araujo: Paula, 1976
Education: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, B.A. Economics, 1977
Other Facts
Prior to running for president, she had never run for an elected office.
Joined the resistance movement against the military dictatorship and was jailed and allegedly tortured in the early 1970s.
Rousseff democratized Brazil’s electricity sector through the “Luz Para Todos” (Light for All) program, which made electricity widely available, even in rural areas.
Timeline
1986 – Finance secretary for the city of Porto Alegre.
2003-2010 – Serves as chair of Petrobras, Brazil’s state-run oil company.
June 2005-March 2010 – Lula da Silva’s chief of staff.
April 2009 – Is diagnosed with stage one lymphoma and begins treatment. By September, she is declared cancer free.
2011 – Allegations of corruption are the basis of her dismissal of six cabinet ministers in her first year in office. Between June and December, her chief of staff, ministers of tourism, agriculture, transportation, sports and labor along with 20 transportation employees resign as a result of the scandal.
September 24, 2013 – In a speech before the UN General Assembly, Rousseff speaks about allegations that the US National Security Agency spied on her. “Tampering in such a manner in the lives and affairs of other countries is a breach of international law and, as such, it is an affront to the principles that should otherwise govern relations among countries, especially among friendly nations.”
August 4, 2016 – After a final report concludes that reasons exist to proceed with formally removing Rousseff, the Brazilian Senate impeachment commission votes in favor of trying the suspended president in front of the full senate chamber.
August 31, 2016 – Brazil’s Senate votes 61-20 in favor of removing Rousseff from office.
September 5, 2017 – Corruption charges are filed against Rousseff, her predecessor Lula da Silva, and six Workers’ Party members. They are accused of running a criminal organization, to divert funds from state-owned oil firm Petrobras. The charges are related to Operation Car Wash, a lengthy money laundering investigation conducted by the Brazilian government. Lula da Silva, Rousseff, and the Workers’ party deny the allegations.
October 7, 2018 – Rousseff only receives 15% of the vote for senator in the general election.
March 24, 2023 – The New Development Bank announces its board of governors elected Rousseff as its new president.