The Justice and Writing Committee of the City Council of Rio accepted, on the afternoon of this Friday (8), the representation made by the Ethics Council against Gabriel Monteiro (PL). Thus, the cassation process against the parliamentarian was officially started. The decision will be published in the Official Gazette next Monday (11). On Tuesday (12), at 2:30 pm, the Ethics Council will meet to define who will be the rapporteur of the case.
Gabriel Monteiro is accused of allegedly leaking intimate videos between him and a minor. He was the target, on the morning of this Thursday (7), of search and seizure at his residence and office, in the Chamber. Another nine addresses of people linked to the parliamentarian were inspected.
With the name defined at the next meeting, the rapporteur will have up to five days to name the accused. After being cited, the councilor will have up to ten days to present a written defense and evidence. After this process, the vote goes to the plenary. Gabriel Monteiro needs the absolute majority of the house for the process to be suspended and will have his mandate revoked if two thirds of parliamentarians vote in favor. The result on whether or not to revoke the mandate is expected to be concluded in 90 days.
In a note, the head of the Chamber’s Ethics Council, Chico Alencar (PSOL), said that the House will investigate the accusations against Monteiro. “Ethics and decorum in political activity impose decency, commitment to the public interest and transparency. In this extremely heavy case, investigating everything, in all instances, is fundamental”, says the note.
THE CNN contacted the defense of Daniel Monteiro about the process of removal from office, but received no response.
On social media, the councilor said that the investigation in the Chamber will bring evidence of his innocence during the process. “The Council of Ethics of the Chamber did not file a case against me! Go get my evidence that so many reports want to hide. They tried to be cowardly, but God is greater. Thank you!” he wrote.
Gabriel Monteiro could be the second councilor impeached in Rio de Janeiro in less than a year. In June 2021, the Chamber unanimously decided to revoke the mandate of Jairo Souza Santos Júnior, Dr. Jairinho. It was the first time in history that a councilor in Rio was expelled from the House. With the impeachment, the parliamentarian is prevented from running for eight years.
understand the investigation
On the morning of this Thursday (7), Councilman Gabriel Monteiro went to the police station to monitor the analysis of the weapons seized at his residence during the operation. According to the delegate, Luis Armond, responsible for the investigation, new images of a sexual nature and other unreported topics were found. The parliamentarian was heard quickly and informally and should testify next week, according to the delegate.
The councilor was targeted, along with six other people, among advisors and former employees of Gabriel, who should be subpoenaed to testify also next week. Gabriel Monteiro also took material to the police station which, according to him, proves his innocence in the case. The documents will be evaluated by the police.
The councilman’s defense denies that the video was a case of rape and that the relationship was consensual. He also alleges that the teenager claimed to be 18 years old, contrary to what the complaint indicates.
See how the process for revocation of mandate works
- The Committee on Justice and Writing of the Chamber analyzes, this Friday (8) whether the representation formulated by the Ethics Council contains any legal defect.
- If the representation is accepted by the majority of its members, the Justice and Writing Committee forwards it to the Ethics Council;
- Upon receiving the representation, the Ethics Council draws a rapporteur, who cites the represented councilor, within five days.
- The rapporteur opens a period of ten working days for the councilor to present a written defense and evidence;
- Once the defense is presented, the investigation phase of the process begins, for a period of up to 30 days, extendable for another 15 days;
- Once the instruction is completed, the rapporteur gives an opinion within five working days, concluding that the representation is valid or that it is archived;
- If the opinion is based on the merits of the complaint, a period of five days is opened for the presentation of final arguments by the defendant’s defense;
- The rapporteur’s opinion is submitted to the Ethics Council for deliberation within five working days, being considered approved if it obtains an absolute majority of the votes of its members;
- Once the process in the Council is concluded, with a favorable opinion on the complaint, the process is forwarded to the Board of Directors and included in the Agenda;
- The punishment is decided in an open vote in the Plenary, with the right to speak by parliamentarians and the defense during the session, decided by two thirds of the councilors (34 votes) in case of cassation or absolute majority in case of suspension.
Source: CNN Brasil
