Quito, May 12 (RHC-teleSUR)-- Ernesto Samper, secretary general of the Union of South American Nations, said Thursday that the decision of the Brazilian Congress to initiate an impeachment trial against President Dilma Rousseff was "compromising the democratic governability of the region in a dangerous way."

“What has happened in Brazil, is a parliamentary political majority is challenging the citizen’s majority that expressed themselves in a clear way in favor of Rousseff,” said Samper, referring to the 2014 re-election of President Rousseff.

He added that the efforts by Brazilian politicians to oust Rousseff via impeachment were of “a political character” and criticized the lower chamber for failing to provide Rousseff with room to defend herself.

The secretary general of UNASUR said that Rousseff remained "the legitimate leader" of the Brazilian people and maintains "democratic legitimacy" by virture of having been re-elected in 2014.