Minister Andre Mendonça of the TSE (Higher Electoral Court) voted this Tuesday (11th) in favor of the impeachment of Roraima Governor Antonio Denarium (PP) and Vice President Edison Damian (Republican). Therefore, there are two votes on this matter.
According to the minister, the creation of the Cesta da Familia social program and the improper implementation of the Moral Melhor program will both be two acts that characterize abuses resulting in loss of mandate in 2022, an election year.
The governor was re-elected in second place with a difference of 44,000 votes. Mendonsa said that if only the beneficiaries of the two programs are considered, there will be more beneficiaries than there are distances between the candidates.
“In terms of qualitative aspects, these two acts are undeniably reprehensible, since they are intended to complicate the normality and legitimacy of elections, based precisely on equal opportunities between competitors, by exploiting extreme poverty by taking advantage of the most important things in the basic survival of the population: food and shelter,” he said.
After Mendonça’s vote, Minister Casio Núñez Marquez suspended the trial, asking for a review of the process (more time for analysis). In addition to him, Antonio Carlos, Floriano Zavedo, Estela Alaña and President Carmen Lucia also continue to have voting rights.
The politician will remain in power until the appeal is analyzed by the TSE, the final court of elections.
Analysis of the case began with oral arguments on August 20th. On August 26, Rapporteur Isabel Galotti voted in favor of impeachment, and Mendonça called for reconsideration.
“Both cases occurred during election years and are serious enough to warrant sanctions that qualify them as abusive practices. In quantitative terms, more than 40,000 households benefited. Each household served tends to include multiple voters,” the minister said.
Mendonça emphasized that the number of beneficiaries is rapidly increasing, with the new program in 2022 potentially serving up to 50,000 households, compared to 10,000 households in the previous program (2020).
“In my opinion, an increase of 40,000 households to be served could have an electoral impact not only on a hypothetical plan, but also specifically at the state level. It should be noted that this has the typical contours of a new support policy, especially given the multiplier effect on the core electorate of each household that this program achieves,” the Minister said.
But Mendonsa refused, saying he did not understand that some of the actions described in the lawsuit showed an abuse of power.
Mr. Denarium and Mr. Damien were found guilty by the TRE-RR (State Regional Election Tribunal) of abuse of political and economic power in the 2022 general elections. The court also declared the denarium ineligible and ordered the Roraima government to hold new elections.
TRE understood that, in addition to using the social programs “Cesta da Família” and “Morar Melhor” in elections, it was proven that public machinery was used during the election period to carry out acts prohibited for public authorities, with the aim of gaining political advantage in conflicts.
There were four revocations at the state level, the last two in January and November 2024.
After a year of waiting, TSE (Higher Electoral Tribunal) President Carmen Lucia scheduled a trial for the annulment procedure on August 26th.
Analysis of the case began with oral arguments on August 20th. On August 26, Rapporteur Isabel Galotti voted in favor of impeachment, and Mendonça called for reconsideration.
They dispute allegations that they used the public sector to support the governor’s re-election and electoral use of social programs. Both deny wrongdoing.
The tribunal had been absent since May, but had only recently been completed again with the appointment of Ministers Estela Aranja and Floriano de Azevedo Marquez. It is hoped that other related processes that have been suspended will be back on the agenda in the next session.
Isabelle Galotti issued an 82-page vote confirming TRE’s decision. According to the Minister, the distribution of goods and services in an election year will include the provision of basic food baskets and benefits. Renovate housing for low-income households. In accordance with legal standards, funds of almost R$70 million will be transferred from the state government to 12 of the state’s 15 municipalities. And the estimation of advertising costs justifies the conviction.
“The supposed situation of public disaster was used as a pretext for large-scale and irregular transfers of funds for electoral gain,” he said, citing the justification that the program helped provide services to the public during the coronavirus pandemic.
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