Rio de Janeiro State Assembly Fires 206 Employees in Extraordinary Shake-Up

Overview

• An extraordinary edition of the state’s Official Gazette on Jan. 6 ordered 206 exonerations signed by acting Alerj president Guilherme Delarolli (PL).
• The new presidency says part of those removed are suspected of not fulfilling work duties, prompting what local coverage dubbed a ghost-hunt.
• Reporting identified 47 exonerated staffers linked to former Alerj president Paulo Melo and 17 linked to ex-governor and ex-Alerj president Sérgio Cabral.
• Dismissals included Cabral’s son Marco Antonio Cabral and his ex-wife Suzana Neves Cabral, as well as allies such as Pedro Lukas and Marcelo Ferreira Neves.
• Paulo Melo called the dismissals a legitimate prerogative of those in power, while Sérgio Cabral said he has had no administrative influence over Alerj since 2003.