Dilma Rousseff is Brazil's first female president. And her reign has been a tough one.

Dilma Rousseff, beginning her Presidency in 2011. The country's first woman President.

A former oil minister, and chief of staff to her predecessor, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. 'Lula' - as he is known - had hand-picked her as his successor.

He was the most popular President in Brazil's history, so millions of Brazilians were more than happy to follow his advice. And - with the country's leftist Labor party - Rousseff had credibility.

She is a former guerilla fighter who had been imprisoned and tortured in the 1960s, during Brazil's military dictatorship

For most of the first three years of her presidency, Dilma Rousseff enjoyed relatively high popularity. The economy was growing, albeit slowly, and the government continued to lift millions of people out of poverty.

Relations with the U.S. were - despite appearances - often strained. Particularly, when revelations emerged that Washington's National Security Agency had targeted Rousseff's mobile phone.

Relations with China seemed stronger.

China is Brazil's biggest trading partner, and Rousseff is a major proponent of the BRICS grouping of Brazil Russia India China and South Africa.

But domestically things have being going less well for the President.

In June 2013, widespread protests erupted across Brazil - not directly against Rousseff - but against generally poor public service and corrupt politicians.

Rousseff went on national television to say she was listening to the protesters' concerns, and even agreed with them. But the episode marked the beginning of a decline in her popularity.