TSE Opens Trial on Ceperj Case Threatening Cláudio Castro and Rodrigo Bacellar

Overview

• The Superior Electoral Court convened Tuesday night to hear appeals that could annul the 2022 mandates and impose ineligibility on Rio governor Cláudio Castro and Alerj president Rodrigo Bacellar.
• The Electoral Prosecution accuses them of abusing economic power by creating roughly 27,000 irregular Ceperj positions to employ campaign operatives in 2022 after they were acquitted by the Rio regional court.
• Relator Isabel Gallotti opened the session with her report and is expected to deliver a firm vote, and a request for more time by another minister would suspend the case for 30 days.
• Several ministers privately criticized the case’s scheduling right after the high-casualty police operation in Rio and warned that the court’s image could suffer regardless of the outcome.
• The TSE press office said the chosen date has no connection to the recent police action.