Minister Floriano de Azevedo Marques, rapporteur at the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), voted against the cassation of Senator Jorge Seif's (PL-SC) mandate for alleged abuse of economic power in the 2022 campaign. The judgment was suspended and will resume on Thursday, February 12. The accusations involve benefits from businessman Luciano Hang, owner of Havan.
The TSE judgment on the cassation of Senator Jorge Seif (PL-SC) resumed on Tuesday, February 10, 2024, with rapporteur Minister Floriano de Azevedo Marques voting against it. Seif faces accusations of economic power abuse in the 2022 elections from the Bora Trabalhar Coalition, formed by PSD, Patriota, and União Brasil. In November 2023, the Regional Electoral Court (TRE) of Santa Catarina rejected the claims and upheld the senator's mandate.
The allegations include the use of Havan aircraft and facilities, owned by Luciano Hang, for campaign travel and live social media broadcasts, as well as the businessman's personal involvement. Irregular financing is also cited through participation in a fair by the Sindicato das Indústrias de Calçados de São João Batista (SC) and the use of a helicopter provided by Osni Cipriani. The case also involves Almir Manoel Atanázio dos Santos from the union.
The rapporteur deemed the evidence insufficient to establish abuse. “Without robust proof, the popular vote must be privileged,” Marques stated. He noted a “gray area” around the air transport but pointed out the lack of passenger lists due to private flights and elapsed time. Criticisms were directed at the TRE-SC process for omissions that may have resulted in lost evidence, such as electronic data and witnesses.
The case had been suspended since the first semester of 2024, following postponements and new diligences ordered in April to gather information from airfields on Havan aircraft from January 2022 to March 2023. Seif's defense argued there is no proof of abuse or significant involvement by Hang. Political maneuvers in Congress sought to absolve the senator, a Jair Bolsonaro ally, including support from Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG) and Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos).
Six ministers' votes remain, and the judgment continues on Thursday, February 12.
