The Public Electoral Ministry (MPE) requested the ineligibility of governor Ronaldo Caiado (União-GO), of Goiás, for alleged abuse of political power in this year’s municipal elections. According to the complaint, Caiado had used the Palácio das Esmeraldas, headquarters of the state government, to hold events in support of the then candidate and current elected mayor of Goiânia, Sandro Mabel (União Brasil).
The accusation points out that dinners held between the 7th and 9th of October, right after the first round of elections, served to benefit Mabel’s candidacy. The action was initially filed by Fred Rodrigues (PL), an opponent defeated by Mabel in the second round.
“It emerges undeniably from the records that the investigated Ronaldo Ramos Caiado used the Palácio das Esmeraldas, a public property with restricted access, to hold events of a political nature, more precisely to seek support, it is worth repeating, for the candidates Sandro Da Mabel Antônio Scodro and Claudia da Silva Lira, which characterizes prohibited conduct”, says the MPE document.
The accusation also states that the governor used public resources, such as government materials, food and drinks, as well as employee services, in favor of the candidate. According to the prosecutor’s office, the actions were proven through disclosures in the media and on social networks.
“The events were widely publicized in the media and social networks, and are therefore serious enough to compromise the legitimacy and normality of the election, and are therefore characterized as abuse of political power”, completes the opinion.
Caiado refuted the accusation and stated that the events were not electoral in nature and that the MPE acted hastily. For him, the dinners took place to congratulate the councilors elected in the capital of Goiás.
“The event in question, held at the Official Residence of the Governor, had as its main objective to congratulate the councilors of Goiânia on their victory in the municipal elections and was not characterized as an electoral activity”, said the government in a statement.
The governor also stated that he viewed the MPE’s statement with “strangeness” before due procedural instruction and testimony from witnesses “essential for clarifying the facts”.
Sandro Mabel also contested the accusations and stated that the dinners were part of Caiado’s institutional agenda. He said, in a note, that “there was no request for votes or any action that would constitute a benefit to the União Por Goiânia coalition ticket”.
“The defense reiterates that the conduct highlighted is not serious enough to result in the revocation of the ticket or the ineligibility of Governor Ronaldo Caiado”, he amended.
The dispute for mayor of the capital of Goiás placed the then allies Caiado and former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) on opposite sides, in which the governor said he was betrayed by the PL having launched its own candidate without consulting him – “you don’t do politics that way,” he said in an interview.
Mabel stated that she was the target of a violent campaign in the second round by Fred Rodrigues, but won the dispute with 55.5% of the valid votes.
“President Bolsonaro came here to give a gift of Greek to Goiânia, because this guy doesn’t have the slightest experience. In addition to lying, and we know that those who lie a lot also steal later, they are completely unprepared. He was never able to justify where he worked”, said Sandro Mabel the day after the second round of the election.
