Shannon Sims and Alaine Ball

Special for USA TODAY

SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff called the impeachment a ‘coup’ Thursday and vowed to keep fighting hours after the Senate voted in favor of her impeachment trial.

"I confess, I never imagined it would be necessary to fight against a coup in my country,” Rousseff said in a speech to the nation. “Our democracy is young, made by struggle, made by deaths, it doesn't deserve this."

The move suspends her from office and sends the country deeper into political and economic disarray less than three months before the Rio Olympics.

The vote passed 55-22 after more than 20 hours of debate by senators.

Vice President Michel Temer, a member of the centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, now takes over until a trial later this year renders a verdict. Rousseff is accused of breaking public spending accounting rules.

In his first words to the nation, Temer said reviving “economic vitality” will be his priority.

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Rousseff, Brazil's first female president, denies breaking any fiscal laws. Yet polls show a majority of Brazilians support impeaching her and the vote appears to be equally a referendum on her stewardship of the country's moribund economy.

"The feeling Brazilians have about the corruption involving Petrobras is that of total intolerance for the idea that Rousseff and the party she represents could stay in office," said Jean Carlos Cabreira, an attorney in Campo Grande.

The decision to impeach required a simple majority of 41 votes in the Senate, meaning it was staunchly backed by lawmakers.

Jose Serra, from the opposition Social Democratic Party, said the impeachment was the start of Brazil's "reconstruction.”

The political chaos, on top of a severe economic downturn that has gripped Brazil, is not expected to directly affect the Olympic Games, which open Aug. 5. However, the turmoil is an embarrassment since the president plays host at the opening ceremony. In addition, massive demonstrations for and against Rousseff like those that have occurred this year could disrupt travel by visitors attending Olympic events.

Ana Paula Oliveira, who works in public relations in Porto Alegre, said the impeachment proceedings have left her with a feeling of uncertainty about the future of Brazil.

"I feel unprotected by the politicians managing our country, both those in favor and against the impeachment," she said. "I feel ashamed that people voted for these people who are so unqualified to serve. ... I think everything related to our country's politics must be re-evaluated and built back from scratch – this is the feeling I think most Brazilians have."

Edma Farias, a former nonprofit worker in São Paulo who lost her job in Brazil’s economic crisis, said she doesn't expect the economy to change.

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"For this country to change, it is not enough to swap out the president,” she said. “Instead you need to clean house in the Congress."

She hoped the country’s political elites would move beyond this period of bitterness.

“(Temer) could have good intentions, but it will take a while to get our country in order," Farias said. "I think he will try to do all he can to improve the country because his political career is depending on it."