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Requests for impeachment are on the agenda for this Thursday (16) both in the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (Alerj) and in the Rio City Council. The processes are different and unrelated.
That of the outgoing governor Wilson Witzel (PSC) has already been opened and is more advanced: this Thursday (16), the prosecution commission decides whether to approve the ruling that calls for the continuity of the process.
- Understand the investigation that removed Witzel from the government
The request for impediment from the mayor of Rio, Marcelo Crivella (Republicans), still depends on the approval by the Municipal Parliament to be opened, which will be voted on by the council this Thursday.
The suspicions stemmed from an investigation by the Public Ministry into an alleged “Bribery Headquarters” at the City Hall. At the beginning of the month, another request was made regarding the case known as “Guardians of the Crivella.”
- Understand the investigation of alleged ‘Tuition Fees’
Witzel was removed from the post of governor by decision of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) after Operation Tris In Idem, which investigates deviations in Rio’s health resources.
The outgoing governor leads a “sophisticated criminal organization,” according to STJ minister Benedito Gonçalves. He denies it.
The investigation investigates the receipt of a bribe of R $ 554.2 thousand through the law firm of his wife, Helena Witzel.
The discovery of the criminal plot began with the investigation of irregularities in the hiring of field hospitals, respirators and medicines to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
These early suspicions led opposition MPs to call for Witzel’s impeachment, based on an investigation by the prosecutor.
At the same time, the prosecution process was opened in Alerj unanimously.
In this Thursday’s stage, the commission’s deputies vote whether or not they agree with the seem which requires that the prosecution process continue.
The impeachment committee consists of 25 deputies. The minimum quorum is 13 parliamentarians. The final vote in the plenary session of Alerj, with all the deputies, is scheduled for next week.
The Public Ministry affirms that the Mayor of Rio has a leading role in a corruption scheme in the City Council.
Crivella’s cell phone was seized in Operation Hades, which investigates an alleged “Tuition Fee” established in the municipal administration. Rafael Alves, brother of the former president of Riotur, would be another protagonist of the scheme, although he does not hold a public position. They both deny the charges.
Based on the investigation, the PSOL requested a political trial last Tuesday.
Two weeks ago, the same party had presented an impeachment petition based on the “Guardianes de la Crivella” case, which was rejected by the councilors.
The Chamber is made up of 51 councilors and in order to open the impeachment process a simple majority (that is, the majority of councilors present) is required.
