Minister Antonio Carlos Ferreira asked the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), on Thursday (4/12), to extend the review request in the trial of two actions that could lead to the impeachment and disqualification of the Governor of Rio de Janeiro, Claudio Castro (PL). As a result, the trial in the case must resume only in 2026. The proceedings relate to alleged illegal acts committed during the 2022 election campaign.
Ferreira’s request was submitted to the head of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Minister Carmen Lucía. He claimed that more time was needed to analyze the case. The Minister requested, “Given the importance and complexity of the matter and the large volume of documents that must be examined, I request the Presidency to extend the deadline for the review request.”
Judgment on the actions taken against Castro by the Supreme Court began on November 4. The rapporteur of the case, Minister Isabelle Galeotti, voted in favor of upholding the application submitted by the Ministry of General Elections (MPE) and the resulting impeachment and disqualification of the governor. With the opinion requested, the trial was halted with a score of 1 x 0 against Castro and the other defendants.
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In the vote, Galeotti considered that Claudio Castro and Rodrigo Basilar (Uníao Brasil), President of the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (Alerg), who were investigated, had committed an abuse of political power by “distorting public policies for electoral purposes and using the public machine to achieve benefit.” The Minister voted for their disqualification, as did Gabriel Rodriguez Lopez, former head of the Rio de Janeiro State Center for Statistics, Research and Training of Public Personnel (Ceperj).
Her vote came in an analysis of an appeal filed by the Electoral Prosecutor’s Office aimed at overturning the decision of the Regional Electoral Tribunal of Rio (TRE-RJ) that acquitted Castro and others accused of alleged illegal recruitment at Seaberg and the State University of Rio de Janeiro (ORJ) in May 2024.
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Suspicious recruitment
Allegations indicate that 27,600 external workers were employed irregularly and for electoral purposes. Furthermore, MPE alleges, in its appeal, that workers were used, in light of an electoral imbalance, to the benefit of those being investigated.
Hiring in an election year would have significantly increased the campaign’s spending limit, reaching half a billion reais. “In my opinion, there is no way to separate this increase in spending from the electoral calendar. The coincidence of events cannot be considered a mere coincidence. Social projects have been used to promote politicians on a large scale,” Galeotti said.
After her vote, Antonio Carlos Ferreira asked for her opinion. The deadline for returning shares is 30 days, extendable for another 30 days. Therefore, the trial of Castro and others accused of abuse of political power must take place until 2026, with the judiciary going into recess on December 19.