Behind the scenes of the Legislative Assembly of Rio (Alerj), a movement deemed “very dangerous” by the interlocutors of the Chamber has strengthened in recent days. MPs allied with Rodrigo Bacellar – a group internally dubbed “elite troops” – began advocating for the MP to resign as Alerj president to pave the way for new elections and allow one of them to compete for the position.
- Arrest of the president of Alerj: Moraes grants provisional release to Bacellar, who will have to respect precautionary measures
- Alerj should not decide on new precautionary measures against Bacellar, says Moraes; see what the succession of the government of Rio looks like
This hard core includes deputies Rafael Nobre, Valdecy da Saúde, Val do Ceasa, Doutor Deodalto, Chico Machado, Rodrigo Amorim and Alan Lopes. According to legislative sources, the group is trying to convince Bacellar that resignation would be the only way to maintain political command of the bloc after the decision of Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the STF, who removed the deputy from the presidency and ordered the use of an electronic ankle bracelet.
This wording, however, is seen as an attempt to “circumvent” the Supreme Court’s decision. Indeed, protective dismissal does not constitute a definitive vacancy and therefore does not allow a new election. Voluntary resignation would be the only formal way to open the contest for the position, which, in the opinion of parliamentarians, could be interpreted as a maneuver to circumvent the measures imposed by the STF.
The interlocutors affirm that the movement of “elite troops” triggered an alert within the Chamber. In addition to the political risk of running into a Supreme Court decision, the strategy is also considered imprudent for another reason: the allies admit that, if Bacellar resigned, the list formed by this same group could be beaten with a large advantage by a broader articulation between the other deputies.
- Rio Room approves new Minha Casa and Minha Vida laws and updates rules for housing developments
The fear is that the offensive, in addition to failing, will accelerate investigations into names close to the former president of Alerj. “These deputies are what the Chamber itself calls shock troops. It’s not surprising,” said one interlocutor, stressing that the movement, if it continued, could affect parliamentarians linked to Bacellar.
The PL considers the scenario with Delaroli as “calm”
While part of the group linked to Bacellar works towards his resignation, the PL, party of Alerj’s interim president, Guilherme Delaroli, adopts a cautious tone. According to party sources, Delaroli’s retention in interim command is considered “no surprise” and the most stable solution to the crisis.
The party leadership is still waiting for a definitive conversation between the state president and Governor Cláudio Castro. The meeting is expected to take place in the coming days and will serve to align strategic decisions aimed at 2026, when Castro must resign to run for the Senate, and Alerj will play a central role in the indirect gubernatorial election.
- Who is Carla Machado, PT deputy who voted in favor of the release of Bacellar
In the meantime, a pragmatic assessment prevails among PL leaders: avoid abrupt moves that could be interpreted as an affront to the STF and preserve the party’s political capital amid a scenario of severe turbulence.
On the other hand, the Union party, of which Bacellar is a member, avoided commenting on the situation. Behind the scenes, a strategy was developed to try to reduce the negative impact of the investigations on the party in the run-up to the elections.
About The Author
