Brasília: On one side of the stage of Brazil's impeachment drama are President Dilma Rousseff and her mentor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva -- a duo who overcame extreme adversity to rule Latin America's biggest economy.

On the other side: Vice President Michel Temer and the speaker of the lower house Eduardo Cunha both consummate backroom wheeler-dealers who could shape the country's political future.

With the lower house of Congress voting Sunday whether to send Rousseff to the Senate for an impeachment trial all four players' careers could be transformed.

Dilma: the ex-guerrilla

Elected in the shadow of her predecessor Lula the one thing always noted about 68-year-old Rousseff -- including by herself -- is that she was a former Marxist guerrilla who was tortured under Brazil's 1964-1985 military dictatorship.

Lacking the exuberant charisma rhetoric and political bridge-building gifts of Lula she saw her popularity decline steadily over her two terms in power in line with the economy.

In policy meetings Rousseff known commonly here just as Dilma was better regarded for her technocrat's ability to master details a skill honed in her past posts as Lula's energy minister and chief of staff.

She was also chairwoman of state oil group Petrobras from 2003 to 2010 -- a record that has come back to haunt her with the revelation of massive corruption at the firm although with no incidents specifically sticking to her.

The twice-married mother a survivor of lymphatic cancer five years ago has had cosmetic work done to whiten her teeth get her hair redone and erase wrinkles.

Lula: working-class hero

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva -- known commonly as Lula -- is an ex-metalworker turned trade unionist turned politician. He has the gift of the gab and a bluff easy manner that made him one of Brazil's most popular presidents when he governed from 2003 to 2011.

On his watch commodity-rich Brazil enjoyed a boom decade and his policies helped lift tens of millions of people out of poverty.

When he stepped down at the end of his maximum two terms he left with sky-high popularity which he leveraged to ensure Rousseff was voted to replace him. Sympathy poured in when he too confronted cancer and won.

Now though the image of 70-year-old Lula is tarnished first by suspicions of money laundering and involvement in the Petrobras corruption scandal then by attempting to become Rousseff's cabinet chief -- a role that would give him immunity from trial in criminal court.

Temer: wily and dour

Michel Temer chafed at being the "decorative" vice president under Rousseff and they long made an awkward couple.

But as head of the PMDB centrist party Temer wielded considerable power representing the biggest force in Rousseff's shaky coalition. That was a lever he pulled last month when the PMDB quit the alliance to join the pro-impeachment ranks.

The 75-year-old who is perhaps best known in Brazil for marrying a former beauty queen 43 years his junior could now become interim president if the impeachment succeeds.

That's a post Temer -- an avowedly humorless and unpopular constitutional lawyer who enjoys a role as a behind-the-scenes political operator -- could never have won himself at the ballot box.

Rousseff accused him of being a traitor and coup-plotter after an audio recording was leaked of Temer practicing the speech he would made if the president ended up being ousted.

Cunha: slippery survivor

At every stage of the impeachment process Eduardo Cunha has used his job as house speaker to mastermind events -- despite facing allegations of taking millions in bribes as part of the Petrobras scandal.

Many of his critics have compared him to Frank Underwood the devious US politician at the center of the Netflix hit series "House of Cards." Cunha who nurtures a reputation as a devoted Evangelical rejects the comparison.

On Tuesday Rousseff referred to Cunha -- an erstwhile PMDB ally turned opponent -- as one of "two leaders of the coup" alongside Temer.

Some analysts have said that Brazil's political drama is largely about Cunha looking after his own career using the impeachment as a way to distract and delay any move over the corruption charges he faces.

AFP