The trial that could revoke Sergio Moro’s mandate begins this Monday

Accusations

There will still be sessions on Wednesday (3) and next Monday (8)

The Regional Electoral Court of Paraná (TRE-PR) begins this Monday (1), the trial of a series of actions that could revoke the mandate of senator Sergio Moro (União). The former judge is even at risk of being declared ineligible for eight years.

The TRE is made up of seven members, and each one will read their vote, justify it and point out all the legal conditions for the judges’ conclusion. Depending on the result and the presentation of appeals, the cases may reach the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).

Check out the list:

• Luciano Carrasco Falavinha Souza, rapporteur
• Anderson Ricardo Fogaça
• Guilherme Frederico Hernandes Denz
• Claudia Cristina Cristofani
• Julio Jacob Junior
• José Rodrigo Sade
• Sigurd Roberto Bengtsson, president of TRE-PR.

Bengtsson only votes in the event of a tie.

The trial does not just happen today. There are also sessions scheduled for Wednesday (3) and next Monday (8). On these dates, the Court will judge two Judicial Electoral Investigation Actions filed against the senator.

One of them is authored by the Liberal Party (PL), and the other, by the Brazilian Federation of Hope – formed by the Workers’ Party (PT), Green Party (PV) and Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB).

There are accusations of abuse of economic power, illicit electoral collection and expenditure and misuse of the media. According to the parties, these actions would have taken place in the period leading up to the 2022 elections, a election in which Moro was elected senator with more than 1.9 million votes.

Trial for Moro’s financial advantage

Moro initially joined Podemos as a pre-candidate for the Presidency of the Republic. The acronyms that move the action indicate that the former judge carried out acts of great scope and high financial investments, which would have generated an illicit advantage in relation to the other candidates.

The PL and the Brazilian Federation of Hope argue that pre-campaign spending would be “disproportionate” and “suppressed the chances of other competitors” for the Senate in Paraná.

In 2021, Moro left Podemos, for which he was a pre-candidate for President. Close to the deadline for changing parties, in 2022, he migrated to União Brasil in order to run for the position of federal deputy for the state of São Paulo.

Faced with the rejection of the transfer of electoral domicile, Moro started to apply for the position of senator for the state of Paraná.

The opinion of the Regional Electoral Attorney’s Office in Paraná indicated that there was an investment of R$2.03 million in Moro’s pre-campaign, in addition to the investments made by Podemos and União Brasil.

The ministerial body describes that the expenses represent 39.78% of the electoral expenses carried out and 45.65% of the spending ceiling foreseen for the position.

“This context demonstrates that the means used to carry out the pre-campaign and the amounts spent in this endeavor on behalf of those investigated proved, in fact, to be unreasonable, assuming the contours of excessive use of economic power”, highlighted the Public Ministry.

Prosecutor’s Office with opinion in favor of revocation

In December 2023, the Regional Electoral Attorney’s Office in Paraná issued a favorable opinion on the impeachment and ineligibility of Sergio Fernando Moro and his deputy, Luís Felipe Cunha. The body considered that their responsibility was proven “through their direct participation in trips, events and other pre-campaign acts”.

Moro gave a statement to the TRE in December. The senator, however, chose to answer questions from the actions rapporteur and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, but remained silent in response to questions from PT and PL lawyers.

*With information from Metrópoles

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