Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff Impeached

The Brazilian Senate today voted to impeach embattled President Dilma Rousseff.

Sixty-one senators voted in favor of permanently removing Rousseff from office; 20 voted against her impeachment.

She had been suspended from office since May.

Once praised for "setting a global standard" on fighting corruption, Rousseff has faced an uphill battle to maintain her seat after she allegedly manipulated government finances to hide a growing deficit.

Rousseff, 68, is accused of violating fiscal laws by using loans from public banks to cover budget shortfalls, which artificially enhanced the budget surplus.

She is alleged to have done this to enhance the government's performance to help her win re-election to a second term in office in 2014.

Rousseff is also accused of obstructing investigations into the semi-public Brazilian oil company Petrobras. Rousseff chaired the company's board of directors from 2003-2010.

She has denied breaking any laws.

She took the stand Monday in a last-ditch effort to save her presidency, reportedly telling her former colleagues in the Senate: "Don't expect from me the obliging silence of cowards."

If more than two-thirds of the 81 senators back her removal, interim president Michael Temer will be confirmed as the country's leader.

Rousseff was peppered with questions from legislators for 14 hours Monday in a marathon session during her impeachment trial.

Police had to fire tear gas at people demonstrating in support of Rousseff in Sao Paola, The Associated Press reported.