Impeachment Court Decides Rio’s Governor Must Vacate Laranjeiras Palace

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The removed Rio de Janeiro governor Wilson Witzel will be forced to vacate the Laranjeiras Palace in the capital’s South Zone, the state governor’s official headquarters, where Witzel lives with his wife and three children.

The order to vacate the property was handed down on Thursday, November 5th, by the Mixed Impeachment Court, which is responsible for judging the removed governor’s impeachment proceedings.

At the same meeting in which it unanimously approved (by ten votes to zero) the continuation of the proceeding that could result in the ouster of the governor, the court, comprising five state deputies and five appellate court judges, also decided to order Witzel to vacate the property. A decree will be produced from this decision and, from then on, the removed governor will have ten days to leave the palace.

Contrary to the decision on the continuation of the impeachment process, the vote on his eviction from the Laranjeiras Palace was not unanimous: six members of the Court voted for Witzel to be evicted and four argued that he should remain in the building.

Deputies Waldeck Carneiro (PT), Dani Monteiro (PSOL), and Carlos Macedo (Republicans) and Judges José Carlos Maldonado, Teresa de Castro Neves, and Inês Chaves voted for his eviction. Deputies Chico Machado (PSD) and Alexandre Freitas (Novo) and Judges Fernando Foch and Maria Bandeira de Mello were against the eviction order.

In October, a judicial decision authorized the removed governor to remain in the palace, as the Federal Superior Court (STJ) had ordered in August when it determined that Witzel be removed from office.

Witzel would not comment on the order to vacate the Laranjeiras Palace. Regarding the court’s decision to proceed with the impeachment process, the removed governor said that “not even Jesus Christ had a fair trial,” but said he trusted the deputies and judges in charge of judging him. Witzel will continue suspended from office until the end of the proceedings, which will decide whether or not to impeach him.

“Not even Jesus Christ had a fair trial, but he fulfilled his purpose. I have no doubt that the truth will prevail. Unfortunately, politics has used the criminal process and impeachment to drive away those who it cannot defeat at the polls,” wrote the governor. “I don’t see the same political rigor of deputies with their peers also indicted and investigated. I see double standards.”

Witzel said his conscience is clear. “It’s a political process to wear me down, particularly by the left-wing and extremist Bolsonarists, but I’m confident that deputies and judges will conduct a fair trial for the good of democracy,” he said.

“I have been accused, with no evidence, based on a flimsy denunciation by confessed criminals. My mission to the people of Rio de Janeiro gives me the strength, courage, and faith to face the moral and political lynching to which I am being subjected”.

Witzel was removed from office in August by an STJ ruling and is charged with running an alleged criminal organization. In September, the Rio Legislative Assembly decided for the continuation of impeachment proceedings.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, in a separate proceeding, the removed governor  received, along with Pastor Everaldo, R$50 million (US$10 million) in kickbacks. The embezzlements allegedly occurred during the pandemic.

Source: Estadão Conteúdo