The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) scheduled for March 10th the resumption of the trial of the process that requests the revocation of the mandate of the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Claúdio Castro (photo), for abuse of political and economic power in the campaign for re-election, in 2022.
In November last year, minister Maria Isabel Galotti, rapporteur of the case, voted to impeach the governor, but the analysis of the case was suspended due to a request for a review from minister Antônio Carlos Ferreira, who will be the next to vote.
The Public Electoral Ministry (MPE) and the coalition of former deputy Marcelo Freixo (PSOL-RJ) intend to reverse the decision of the Regional Electoral Court of Rio de Janeiro (TRE-RJ) which, in May 2024, acquitted Castro and other defendants in the process that deals with alleged irregular hiring at the Foundation Center for State Statistics, Research and Training of Public Servants of Rio de Janeiro (Ceperj) and at State University of Rio de Janeiro (Uerj)
The MPE stated that Castro obtained an electoral advantage in hiring temporary employees, without legal support, and in the decentralization of social projects to send resources to entities unrelated to the public administration of Rio.
According to the accusation, the decentralization of resources occurred to encourage the hiring of 27,665 people, totaling expenses of R$248 million.
Defense
Before the trial was suspended, lawyer Fernando Neves, Castro’s representative, said that the governor only sanctioned a law from the Legislative Assembly and a decree to regulate Ceperj’s activities and cannot be held responsible for any irregularities.
