Rio Legislative Assembly Agrees to Open Impeachment Proceedings Against Witzel

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Wednesday evening, September 23rd, the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (ALERJ) agreed to the opening of impeachment proceedings for a crime of accountability against the governor of Rio, Wilson Witzel by 69 votes to zero. He had already been temporarily removed from the position by an STJ (Federal Superior Court) decision.

Now, the report and the result will be forwarded to the Rio Court of Appeals (TJ/RJ), which will establish the so called Prosecuting Court, with five deputies, five judges chosen by lot and the Chief Judge of the TJ/RJ, Claudio de Mello Tavares, who will be presiding over the trial.

The presiding judge will only vote in case of a tie. This group will determine whether or not Witzel will be permanently disqualified from office. The dismissed governor will then have a period of up to 120 days to be judged by the mixed forum, according to the deadline set by the court.

The rapporteur of the impeachment process against the removed governor in the ALERJ is Deputy Rodrigo Bacellar. He ruled in favor of the process in the legislative chamber. Put to a vote in the committee analyzing the impeachment, the document was approved by 24 votes to zero by the members of the group.

Witzel is suspected of being part of a scheme involving embezzlement of funds from the Rio de Janeiro Health Secretariat. The governor, suspended by the STJ, rejects these allegations.

Yesterday’s ALERJ session was mostly based on statements against the dismissed governor: 28 state deputies from 13 registered parties spoke against Witzel. “Witzel promised to aim at the head; he ended up shot,” said opposition legislator Mônica Francisco. “He will go down in history leaving the stain of corruption,” said legislator Rosane Félix.

Legislator Luiz Paulo recalled the alleged involvement of the removed governor in health contracts. “Several contracts were purportedly signed at amounts different from the market. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office points to evidence of the governor’s active involvement in terms of awareness and direction of contracts with the companies under investigation, despite not having signed such contracts,” he said.

After the state legislators’ interventions, Witzel was heard by videoconference. “What has been happening is absolutely unfair. I was not allowed to speak in the Assembly nor in the courts,” said the ousted governor, who then thanked the president of the ALERJ, André Ceciliano, for allowing him the opportunity to speak. However, he averted direct criticism of the Bolsonaro clan, which has become his political archenemy since he expressed political aspirations for the 2022 presidential race.

Witzel’s speech was initially permeated by religiosity and biblical quotes. “I respect the other religions, but I wouldn’t shy away from putting my Christian faith here,” he argued.

He stated that he was cut off from his right of defense because the ALERJ has not heard witnesses and because he himself has not been heard. He also stated that he “never supported the far-right” – albeit failing to make a direct reference to his old alliance with the Bolsonaro clan in the 2018 elections. The dismissed governor also said he left almost 18 years of magistrature with no charges that would challenge his performance as a federal judge.

Witzel said the doors of the Guanabara Palace had always been open to deputies – but few had ever been there to talk about government policies. “If I am silent, you are silent too,” he accused. “How many of you went to investigate the OSs [health organizations]?” he questioned. “During the pandemic, I was isolated. No one came to inspect the health organizations,” he said.

But the governor’s arguments failed to convince the legislative house. Witzel has also appealed to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) in an attempt to reverse his ouster.

Source: Veja