Brazil has the world's second highest COVID-19 death toll after the US.

Anvisa's board voted unanimously not to approve the Russian vaccine after technical staff had highlighted "inherent risks" and "serious" defects, citing a lack of information guaranteeing its safety, quality and effectiveness.

With the convictions tossed, Lula is eligible to run once again and is the odds-on favourite among Bolsonaro opponents to take on the right-wing leader in 2022.

A 7-4 decision in favour of allowing defendants the right to a full appeals process before they are imprisoned is expected.

Unwilling to risk his candidacy in the October presidential election, lawyers for jailed former President of Brazil Lula withdrew requests for his freedom from the Supreme Court.

It is the second set of criminal charges filed against President Michel Temer, based on the plea-bargain testimony of the owners of the world's largest meatpacker, JBS SA.

The new investigation is based on a wiretapped conversation of a former Temer aide who discussed shaping the decree in return for bribes channelled from a port operator to the president.

A corruption scandal involving cartels of companies bribing officials for public contracts has enveloped most of Brazil's political elite .

These were the first criminal charges to be levelled against Rousseff, who was impeached in 2016 for breaking budgetary laws.

The office of the prosecutor general signed a plea deal with entrepreneur Lúcio Funaro, who worked for politicians close to Temer, said an anonymous source.

Under Brazilian law, it is now up to the Legislative House of Deputies to vote on whether to allow the Supreme Court to try President Temer for graft.