Former Rio de Janeiro governor Wilson Witzel’s impeachment to be tried today

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The governor of Rio de Janeiro was removed in August, charged with embezzlement in health.

The trial of the motion to impeach Wilson Witzel, Rio de Janeiro’s removed governor, begins at 9 AM today, April 30th, at the Special Mixed Court (TEM). Witzel has been suspended from office since August last year and has been indicted by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office for involvement in a scheme to embezzle funds in the health sector, allocated to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

The trial date was set by Henrique Carlos de Andrade Figueira, Chief Judge of the Rio de Janeiro Court of Appeals (TJ-RJ ), who also heads the TEM. The mixed court comprises 5 career judges and 5 state deputies. The case’s rapporteur, state deputy Waldeck Carneiro (PT), submitted his final report yesterday and will cast his vote during the trial session.

The session’s rules foresee 30 minutes for the accusation counsel to make its case, followed by 30 minutes for the defense. Then the rapporteur will read his vote and each member of the TEM will cast their vote, alternating between judges and deputies, who may or may not follow the rapporteur. For Witzel to be permanently removed from office, at least 7 votes in favor of impeachment are required.

Source: Agência Brasil

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