Marielle case: Paes says he made a mistake in appointing deputy Brazão – 03/30/2024 – Power

The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes (PSD), stated this Saturday (30) that it was a mistake to have appointed federal deputy Chiquinho Brazão (no party) as secretary in his administration, even with the suspicion of the family’s involvement with the death of councilor Marielle Franco (PSOL) and driver Anderson Gomes.

The mayor’s speech also signals a break with the Republicans, the party that nominated Chiquinho for the position. This week, he dismissed the deputy’s allies, the replacement appointed by the party and appointed a person from his own political group.

“It was a mistake on my part, when establishing the alliance, for us to include a person who had been suspected. I can have all the excuses in the world here, the six years [de investigação sem conclusão]everyone had already been accused of everything, but I was wrong”, said the mayor, after participating in the first trip on the Transbrasil corridor between the Deodoro and Gentileza terminals.

Chiquinho and his brother, Domingos, a counselor at the TCE (State Audit Court), were arrested on suspicion of being responsible for the councilwoman’s death.

The deputy was appointed in October, despite suspicions that his brother had been involved in a crime since 2018. According to the mayor, the name was nominated by the Republicans as part of the alliance for his pre-candidacy for re-election.

Chiquinho was exonerated in February, a week after the announcement of the plea agreement of former PM Ronnie Lessa, accused of being the perpetrator of the crime.

“The most important thing when you make a mistake is to correct the mistake. It had already been requested that he be removed from the secretariat, and here I don’t want to prejudge him, but, given the suspicions and his arrest, I asked that he be removed from the secretariat beforehand, when the rumors started to emerge”, said the mayor.

In his place, the Republicans nominated federal deputy Ricardo Abrão, from the same political group as Brazão. He kept 15 appointed by Brazão in office, according to a survey by councilor Pedro Duarte (Novo).

After Brazão’s arrest, the mayor dismissed the deputy’s allies, as well as the substitute secretary. In his place, he appointed Marli Peçanha, who had been in the position since the beginning of his term until Chiquinho’s appointment.

After the change, the Republicans began to articulate a landing of the Paes alliance to support federal deputy Alexandre Ramagem (PL), nominated by former president Jair Bolsonaro in the dispute. The mayor signaled that he should not seek reconciliation.

“At this moment, we understand that the Republicans, with the staff they had here, were not suitable. We want alliances, but alliances have to have a limit.”