Brasilia, June 14 (RHC)-- The right-wing Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), a main ally of President Michel Temer, has decided not to quit the government despite mounting pressure.
The PSDB will not make any move toward leaving the coalition and the four PSDB ministers in the government will remain in their posts, party leader Jose Serra said in a statement.
The PSDB was the main opposition against the governments of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff. After Rousseff was deposed and her deputy Michel Temer took office, the PSDB formed a coalition with Temer's Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB).
However, tensions increased between the two parties in the past few weeks as Temer was caught on a tape in which he can seemingly be heard approving bribes to a witness in a corruption case. Temer has rejected all accusations against him and has refused to step down, despite growing political opposition, including opposition by former allies.
Some PSDB members argued that the party should immediately quit the coalition and resign government posts to avoid collateral damage. However, Temer won a case in the electoral court about alleged campaign financing violations last week, a needed victory that strengthened his presidency.