The interview came after a committee from the lower house (Chamber of Deputies) of Brazil's National Congress approved a report recommending the impeachment of Rousseff. If two-thirds of the lower house vote for the measure, the motion will go to the Senate (upper house).
"Sunday will see a historic moment which does not take place every day and which will have long-term repercussions. It's important to realize that impeachment is an instrument of social control aimed at limiting presidential power. It is something that is in line with the country's Constitution and democratic principles," Pestana said.
In contrast, Deputy Jorge Sola of the president’s Workers' Party slammed the forthcoming impeachment as nothing short of a coup, which he said will be resolved.
"We will defeat this coup d'état and we will contain a disguised attempt to arrange a third round of elections to topple the President, who faces no charges. Her opponents are trying to turn this process [of impeachment] into indirect elections," he said.
Rousseff has been facing a wave of public discontent for over a year; Brazil’s economy continues to struggle following the major corruption scandal which hit the state-owned petroleum company Petrobras.
In March 2015, the first wave of protests against the government of Rousseff brought together at least 500,000 people, becoming the largest political demonstration registered in Brazil since 1984.
