Rousseff nixes Japan, Vietnam trips over budget problems

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff attends a work meeting with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, at the Alvorada Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015. AP Photo

BRASÍLIA, Brazil—Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has canceled planned visits to Japan and Vietnam because of budget problems, but will be in Paris for a major climate summit, her office said Friday.

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The federal accounts court has recommended the government hold its spending until it can agree with Congress on a new budget target.

“So, given this recommendation, the president is coming back to the country early and canceling her trips,” a spokesman said.

Rousseff is leaving Friday for Paris, where she will take part in a summit calling for global measures to control global warming, before returning Monday.

The original plan had been to fly to Vietnam on Tuesday and then Japan.

Brazil is in recession and the government will end the year with a budget deficit of about $15 billion. Rousseff also faces a difficult political situation at home, including threats of impeachment proceedings.

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