TSE Halts Barroquinha Special Election, Upholds Santa Quitéria Vote in Split Rulings

Overview

• Minister André Mendonça granted a monocratic injunction on 16 September that suspends Barroquinha’s 26 October supplementary election and immediately returns Mayor Jaime Veras and Vice Mayor Carmem Lúcia to office with no new voting date set.
• The Barroquinha cassation stemmed from allegations that Jaime Veras received R$155,000 from FEFC resources for Black candidacies and transferred R$33,768.50 to six party candidates, including R$13,580 to two self-declared white candidates.
• TRE-CE had affirmed the cassation, calling the transfers “absolutely expressive” relative to recipients’ receipts, while the TSE relator noted the disputed amount was about 8.7% of the FEFC funds and that four self-declared Black candidates benefited, signaling the need for deeper examination.
• On the same day, the TSE denied an appeal by Santa Quitéria’s removed mayor, Braguinha, keeping the TRE-CE decision in force and the city’s supplementary election scheduled for 26 October.
• The Santa Quitéria ruling rests on findings of abuse of political and economic power and allegations from prosecutors of coercion tied to the Comando Vermelho, with the mayor remaining out of office under court-ordered home detention.