A look at the life of Dilma Rousseff

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A look at the life of Dilma Rousseff

Here is a look at the life of former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

Before she ran for president, she had never run for office.

In the early 1970s, she joined the resistance movement against the military dictatorship and was jailed and allegedly tortured.

Rousseff democratized Brazil's electricity sector through the Luz Light for All program, which made electricity available even in rural areas.

Finance secretary for the city of Porto Alegre was in 1986.

Is Minister of Mines and Energy named by President Luis In cio Lula da Silva in 2003.

April 2009 - Is diagnosed with stage one lymphoma and begins treatment. She is declared cancer free by September.

October 31, 2010 - Wins a run-off election to become Brazil's first female president.

September 21, 2011 - Becomes the first female leader to kick off the annual United Nations General Assembly debates.

The resignation of six cabinet ministers in her first year was due to allegations of corruption. Between June and December her chief of staff, ministers for tourism, agriculture, transportation, sports and labor and 20 transportation employees resigned because of the scandal.

September 17, 2013 - The United States and Brazil agreed to postpone Rousseff's state visit to Washington next month due to controversy over reports that the US government was spying on her communications.

September 24, 2013 - In a speech before the UN General Assembly, Rousseff spoke 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 is an affront to the principles that should govern relations between countries, especially among friendly nations. In 2014, executives at Petrobras are accused of illegally diverting billions from the company's accounts for personal use or to pay off officials. Rousseff served as chair of Petrobras during many years when the alleged corruption took place. She denies any knowledge of the corruption.

A bid to impeach Rousseff is launched by the speaker of the country's lower house of Congress, Eduardo Cunha. Rousseff has been accused of hiding a deficit in order to win re-election in 2014, and opponents blame her for the worst recession in decades.

April 17, 2016 - A total of 367 lawmakers in the Brazilian Parliament's lower house vote to impeach Rousseff is comfortably more than the two-thirds majority required by law. The motion for the impeachment will go to the country's Senate.

May 12, 2016 - Brazilian Senate votes 55 -- 22 to start an impeachment trial against Rousseff. Rousseff will step down for 180 days and Vice President Michel Temer will serve as interim president while the trial takes place.

August 4, 2016 - After a final report concludes that reasons exist to proceed with formally removing Rousseff, the Brazilian Senate's impeachment commission votes in favor of trying the suspended president in front of the full Senate.

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 in order to divert funds from state-owned oil firm Petrobras. The Brazilian government has been investigating Operation Car Wash, a long money laundering investigation that was conducted by the Brazilian government. Lula da Silva, Rousseff, and the Workers Party deny the allegations.

On October 7, 2018, Rousseff received only 15% of the vote for senator in the general election.