Approved by the Deliberative Council on Monday night (27), the removal of Augusto Melo from the presidency of Corinthians had immediate effect, but will still have to undergo a vote of club members to be definitive.
After the meeting with the counselors – a college formed by 300 members, 200 triennial and 100 lifetime -, the chairman of the Deliberative Council, Romeu Tuma Júnior, has a period of up to five days to mark the meeting of the partners, which will take place, from marking, within 30 to 60 days.
Associate vote will be made in the simple majority system. Thus, if the partners reject impeachment, the leader will return to the presidency. If the removal is approved, Melo will definitely lose his position.
The Deliberative Council will then be called up to elect – in the participation of the partners – a new president, who will command the club until the end of Melo’s mandate in December 2026.
As long as these definitions do not occur, Corinthians will be commanded by Osmar Stabile, the first vice president.
According to art. 47 of the Club Statute, “the call for meetings of the General Assembly may be made by the Chairman of the Deliberative Council, the Chairman of the Board of Executive Officers or by at least half of the counselors, being published at least three times in two journals of large circulation, in advance of thirty to sixty days of the date of the meeting.”
The call also needs to be set at least five points of large circulation of Parque São Jorge, the club’s headquarters.
In the vote of the counselors, there were 176 votes for the dismissal of the president, 57 against his departure and an abstention. The meeting took place four days after Augusto Melo and two former member of his administration were indicted by the Civil Police for the crimes of “criminal association, qualified theft and money laundering” after the investigation that investigates alleged irregularities in the sponsorship contract with the Betting House Vaidebet.
Even before the result, Augusto Melo, who denies the crimes, made a statement predicting his defeat and promised to fight to return to office.
“There are 60 days for the General Assembly and we will fight for Corinthians,” he said.
Shortly after the vote, lawyer Ricardo Cury confirmed that Augusto did not witness the vote because he was, according to him, “shaken by the events of the last days” and said that the defense of the leader following the process will be executed by his office in partnership with lawyer José Eduardo Cardozo.
Cardozo is former Justice Minister and was the defender of the President of the Republic Dilma Rousseff in the process that resulted in his impeachment in 2016.
