The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) returns to judge on the night of this Tuesday, 28th, the process that discusses the revocation of the ticket elected for the government of Roraima in 2022. The Electoral Court’s decision could impeach the current governor, Edilson Damião (União), and leave the former governor Antonio Denarium (Republicans) ineligible.
The trial of the case has already been halted multiple times. In the last one, two weeks ago, minister Estela Aranha asked for a review after minister Nunes Marques was the first to vote not to impeach Damião. According to her, her colleague’s thesis was “unexpected” and “relevant” and needed more time for analysis.
The current score is 2 votes to 1 for the revocation of Damião’s mandate and three votes in favor of Denarium’s ineligibility. Before Nunes Marques, the rapporteur of the case at the time, Maria Isabel Galotti, and André Mendonça voted. Ministers Antônio Carlos Ferreira, Floriano de Azevedo Marques and the president of the Court, minister Cármen Lúcia, still have to vote.
The action originates from a decision by the Regional Electoral Court of Roraima (TRE-RR), which revoked the ticket for abuse of political and economic power during the 2022 campaign. Among the irregularities highlighted in the process are the use of social programs during the election period, transfers of resources to municipalities close to the calendar prohibited by legislation and increased expenses with institutional advertising, in addition to signs of personal promotion.
During the trial, the defendants’ defense requested the reversal of the TRE-RR’s initial decision and argued that there were no irregularities.
Denarium resigned from his position at the end of last month to run for the Senate, which led his then vice-president, Damião, to take over the government. With the resignation, Denarium’s impeachment is jeopardized, but he is still subject to being declared ineligible for eight years. The situation is similar to what happened with the former governor of Rio de Janeiro Cláudio Castro (PL), who was not impeached for having resigned, but is ineligible until 2030.
Continues after advertising
Damião could lose his mandate if the TRE-RR understanding is maintained. If this occurs, the president of the Legislative Assembly (ALE-RR), Soldado Sampaio (Republicans), would become interim governor. Then, as provided for in the Constitution, state deputies would elect a governor for a buffer term until the end of the year (indirect election).
