Minister André Mendonça, of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), signed this Tuesday an injunction that leaves federal deputy Marcelo Crivella (Republicans), former mayor of Rio, able to run for the Senate. The decision suspends the effects of a conviction by the Regional Electoral Court (TRE) imposed within the scope of the so-called “Bribery HQ”. Now, the candidacy has completely messed up the local scene, which has several candidates for the two seats at stake.
Mendonça assessed that, “given the current electoral calendar” and the pending final judgment of the case, it would be harmful to the parliamentarian to remove him from the election. It also points out that, in the criminal sphere, the process received votes for the rejection of the complaint, which accuses the former mayor of receiving undue amounts from municipal management contracts.
“It is not a question, I reiterate, of transposing a criminal conclusion to the electoral sphere, even because the receipt or otherwise of the criminal complaint has not yet been concluded by the Regional Court”, wrote the minister. “It is only necessary to recognize that, given the substantial identity of the body of evidence invoked and the severity of the sanctions imposed, this element reinforces, in a precautionary measure, the plausibility that the special appeal deserves in-depth assessment before producing potentially irreversible effects on the passive electoral capacity of the applicant.”
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In this context, the judge also points out, maintaining the effects of the TRE decision can produce an almost irreversible consequence: “preventing or compromising the applicant’s participation in party acts of choosing candidates and, subsequently, in the registration process before the Electoral Court”.
Scrambled scenario
With the injunction, which was already expected by allies, Crivella once again adds to the already full menu of pre-candidates for the Senate in Rio. There are at least eight possible names.
There are four just on the side of the presidential candidate Eduardo Paes (PSD): Benedita da Silva (PT) and Pedro Paulo (PSD), the “officials” of the alliance, and Helena Vieira (PSDB) and Marcos Dias (Podemos).
In the Douglas Ruas (PL) coalition, the PL has not yet put the hammer down on who will replace former governor Cláudio Castro, who is ineligible. The other candidate will be the former mayor of Belford Roxo Márcio Canella (União).
Crivella is part of the group of those who, at least for now, are not in one of the main poles of the dispute. Who also fits into this is Rio councilor Monica Benicio, from PSOL.
