Driver arrested after car rams gate of Brazilian leader's residence

Brazil's President Michel Temer. Photo / AP

A driver has rammed his car through the gates of Brazil's presidential residence and been arrested by security forces.

President Michel Temer was not inside the building.

Guards fired warning shots and then opened fire at the vehicle when it refused to stop, before detaining the driver, who appeared to be a minor, the statement said.

Temer himself lives in another official residence.

A Brazilian Supreme Court justice sent a corruption charge against Temer to Congress today, advancing the process under which the centre-right leader could be removed from office to face trial for graft.

The justice, Edson Fachin, rejected an argument made by Brazil's top federal prosecutor that the Supreme Court should hear preliminary arguments on the charge and its merits for 15 days, before deciding whether to send it to the lower house of Congress.

Under Brazilian law, it is now up to the House of Deputies to decide whether to allow the Supreme Court to try Temer, who replaced impeached leftist President Dilma Rousseff last year. Two-thirds of the lower house must vote against Temer for his trial to occur.

The president was charged this week with arranging to receive 38 million reais (US$11.55 million) in bribes from executives at JBS SA, the world's largest meat processor.

- Reuters, AAP