Moraes and Nunes Marques discuss in action at TSE that cites Celso Daniel case

Ministers Alexandre de Moraes and Nunes Marques, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), had a discussion during the session this Thursday (18) of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) that judged an action by the campaign of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) against Senator Mara Gabrilli (PSDB-SP), during the 2022 election.

At the time, Mara would have linked the then candidate Lula to the death of the former mayor of Santo André, Celso Daniel, in January 2002, during an interview with Rádio Jovem Pan a few days before the first round. The statement was shared by Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) and Federal Deputy Carla Zambelli (PL-SP).

The TSE judged the merits of the request requested by the Brasil da Esperança coalition, which elected Lula, when Moraes and Marques argued. Marques followed the vote of the rapporteur, Carlos Horbach, to impose a fine of R$ 10,000 on each of the mentioned parliamentarians, but recalled that he “inherited” the Celso Daniel case in the Electoral Court (see in full).

“I believe that, at the time of these statements, there was still an investigation underway on the subject”, said Nunes Marques, who was immediately interrupted by Moraes: “no, no. It had already been closed a few years ago, I was also Secretary of Justice, it was back then”.

Marques reinforced that there are still investigations under way in Minas Gerais and São Paulo with Celso de Mello as the rapporteur, being interrupted again by Moraes.

“Sorry, Minister Kassio. This is already closed in São Paulo, not least because there is no one with privileged jurisdiction in relation to the murder that took place in Santo André. There is no record that any deputy or senator participated,” he said.

Nunes Marques argued that he was not referring to the murder itself, but to “aspects in relation to the party with organized crime”, he added. Moraes did not object.

At the time of the statement, Mara Gabrilli was a candidate for vice president on the ticket then headed by Simone Tebet (MDB), who lost the election in the first round and allied with Lula in the second round, and today holds the position of Minister of Planning .