The Attorney General of the Republic, , defended this Tuesday (7) the holding of direct elections to choose the buffer governor in , who will command the Guanabara Palace until December 2026.
The demonstration was made in the complaint proposed by -RJ to the Supreme Court, asking for the popular vote due to the conviction of the former governor () in the (Superior Electoral Court). The case will be judged this Wednesday (8) in the plenary session of the STF (Supreme Federal Court).
Gonet states that the fact that Castro resigned does not change the legislation’s determination that a direct election be held if there is a double vacancy in the position of governor and deputy by decision of the .
“Cláudio Castro’s act of resignation, however, did not produce the desired effects regarding his registration and consequent diploma before the Electoral Court which, upon recognizing the abusive act, determined the revocation of the then governor’s diploma”, wrote Gonet.
“The understanding that there was recognition of abuse of power with the declaration of ineligibility and the revocation of the diploma (not carried out because he factually no longer held a mandate at the conclusion of the trial) of Cláudio Castro shows that, in this case, there was a vacancy as a result of a decision by the Electoral Court. This situation, in all evidence, is not consistent with the determination to hold indirect elections”, wrote Gonet.
The former mayor’s PSD-RJ, pre-candidate for governor, filed a complaint with the STF asking for direct elections to be held.
The argument is that Castro’s resignation on the eve of the TSE trial was a maneuver to try to avoid a direct election, which could be determined by the court in the event of impeachment in the trial in which the former governor was convicted.
The Constitution of Rio de Janeiro provides for an indirect election, by state deputies, if the double vacancy of the positions of governor and deputy occurs without electoral conviction. The state has been without a vice-governor since last year, when Thiago Pampolha resigned to take up a seat at the TCE (State Audit Court).
When judging the case, the TSE determined that indirect elections should be held, considering Castro’s resignation.
