The president of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies Ethics Council, Ricardo Izar, postponed until today the opening of the disciplinary process calling for the mandate of the president of the Chamber, Severino Cavalcanti, to be revoked, on account of corruption.
The motion was filed with the Council last week by five opposition parties. “We shall have to wait until Wednesday morning, given the possibility of the president’s resignation. In which case, there will be no need for us to initiate the process,” the president of the Council contends.
It is expected that Cavalcanti will offer his resignation today. According to congressman João Caldas this should happen this afternoon. The House Speaker’s decision follows a week in which he was accused of extorting money from a restaurateur in order to allow the businessman to sell food in the Congress building in Brasília, the capital of Brazil.
Caldas said that Severino seems to be serene. “Everything is ready for the announcement. Severino still has a few hours before he makes the announcement,” commented the legislator. He also informed that Cavalcanti has not talked about his succession.
Inquiry
By Thursday, September 22, the General Disciplinary Office of the Chamber of Deputies wants to hear the defense of the 16 deputies cited in the combined report of the Joint Parliamentary Investigative Commissions (CPMIs) on the Post Office and Vote Buying.
The General Disciplinary Office decided to hear the legislators after the Federal Supreme Court (STF) granted an injunction that prohibits forwarding the motion calling for their mandates to be revoked to the Ethics Council, until they have an opportunity to address the Congress. The legislators have a period of 5 legislative sessions, from the time they are notified, to present their defense, which can also be submitted in writing.
The first to be heard, Tuesday, September 20, was deputy Pedro Henry from the PP party of Mato Grosso state. Ex-deputy Roberto Jefferson affirmed that Henry was one of those who received monthly allowance payments (the “mensalão”) to vote with the government and that he pressed the PTB to accept the money. Henry once again denied the accusations and requested that the motion against him be shelved.
Agência Brasil