Adilson Barroso takes Zambelli’s seat in the Chamber of Deputies today

Summary
Adilson Barroso (PL-SP) took over the mandate of Carla Zambelli in the Chamber of Deputies after her resignation, marked by her arrest in June and the STF decision annulling the rejection of her dismissal. Barroso is a Minas Gerais politician, an ally of Bolsonaro, with a career in São Paulo and in the municipal legislature.

The substitute Adilson Barroso (PL-SP) takes the place, this Monday 15, of Carla Zambelli (PL-SP) in the Chamber of Deputies, after the deputy announced her resignation from her mandate.

Zambelli was arrested at an apartment in Rome, Italy, on June 29, and has since been held at the Rebbibia women’s penitentiary. Last Thursday, 11, the Minister of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) Alexandre de Moraes canceled the vote of the Chamber which rejected the dismissal of the parliamentarian and determined the immediate loss of her mandate.

Adilson Barroso, 61, calls himself an “ecologist, right-wing Bolsonarist, conservative and patriot”. On his Instagram profile, he describes himself as “a friend of Jair Bolsonaro, Michelle Bolsonaro and Nikolas Ferreira”, and his profile photo shows him next to the former president, with the Brazilian and Israeli flags in the background.

In the House, Barroso held the seat of Guilherme Ferrite (PP-SP) from 2023 to 2025, after Derrite left his post to become Secretary of State for Public Security of São Paulo. However, the mandate was summarized last November and Barroso therefore returned to the bench.

Born in Minas Novas (MG), Adilson’s first election campaign took place in 1988, when he was 23 years old. He was elected municipal councilor of Barrinha (SP) by the PTB, and re-elected in 1992 by the former PFL. He served as deputy mayor of the city from 1997 to 2022.

In 2002, he was elected state deputy and held the seat in the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo (Alesp) until 2010, but lost the elections that year. In 2016, he again became a municipal councilor in Barrinha.

Barroso was among the founders of the National Ecological Party (PEN) in 2012. The party changed its name to Patriota in 2017, and Jair Bolsonaro considered joining in 2021, but ultimately chose the PL. The politician also tried to launch Bolsonaro for president in 2018.

Adilson was removed from the presidency of Patriota and joined the PL later, in 2021. In 2022, he ran for election as a federal deputy and became an alternate.