Film cast protests Brazilian leader’s ouster at Cannes

The cast of Brazilian film “Aquarius” has staged a protest on the red carpet of the international Cannes Film Festival in France, holding placards in support of Dilma Rousseff after the Brazilian interim government suspended her as head of state, local media reported.

Director Kleber Mendonca Filho and the cast on Tuesday carried placards with messages "Coup staged in Brazil" and "World cannot recognize this illegitimate [Brazilian interim] government".

Brazilian senate removed Rousseff from office for six months Thursday as she faces a political trial for alleged “crimes of responsibility” after being accused of violating fiscal rules to hide a budget deficit ahead of the 2014 presidential elections.

Rousseff insists the accusations do not warrant impeachment and said other Brazilian leaders had used similar accounting techniques without facing punishment.

Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer assumed interim leadership of the country and could remain in the position until the next round of presidential elections in 2018, if the Upper House of Congress convicts Rousseff at her trial.