Asunción, April 27 (RHC-teleSUR)-- Jose Pepe Mujica, former president of Uruguay, called impeachment proceedings against Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff "regrettable and painful."  The popular former leader said the impeachment process is only considered legal because the country's parliament initiated it, but he compared the process to those who insist witches exist. 

During a radio interview in Asunción, the Uruguayan capital, Pepe Mujica said: "Democracy has many flaws, but one of the most egregious is that they (the Parliament) amend the decision of the people -- good, bad, right or wrong -- the decision people take when they vote."

Mujica warned the lawmakers at the top of Brazil's political system that they would not determine the political fate of the country.  The former Uruguayan leader also emphasized it is not the first time a campaign has been launched against a Brazilian president.  The difference now, said Mujica, is the economic difficulties largely caused by the crash in global oil prices.  This enables politicians to manipulate "sectors of the middle class who feel threatened."

Putting the politics into context, former Uruguayan president Pepe Mujica said Brazil is "pushing a conservative face -- they try to multiply wealth, then the wealth amounts to debt, then you have to pay the debt and then you have to fight to redistribute because a lot of people were left on the sidelines.  The pendulum then swings to the other side."