Bacellar Takes 10-Day Leave After Release, Escalating Fight for Rio Assembly Presidency

Overview

• Minister Alexandre de Moraes kept Rodrigo Bacellar removed from the Alerj presidency and replaced his detention with cautions including an ankle monitor, nighttime and weekend home confinement, a ban on contact with other targets, passport surrender and suspension of gun carry.
• Moraes said the Assembly does not need to vote on the cautions, after lawmakers had already revoked Bacellar’s preventive arrest by 42 to 21.
• One day after leaving custody, Bacellar filed a 10-day leave that runs into the year-end recess, a move allies describe as buying time while his future is negotiated.
• First vice president Guilherme Delaroli leads the chamber on an interim basis, and because the presidency is not vacant, he does not enter the state’s line of succession.
• Allies press Bacellar to resign to trigger a new election, rival blocs float names such as Chico Machado, Rodrigo Amorim, Delaroli and Douglas Ruas, and a tense plenary featured accusations that such moves resemble a “coup.”