Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) halted the judgment on the cassation of Roraima Governor Antonio Denarium (PP) and Vice Governor Edilson Damião (Republicanos) after two votes favoring cassation. Minister André Mendonça partially followed relator Isabel Gallotti, but Vice-President Nunes Marques requested more time, suspending the session. The politicians remain in office as the process continues.
The TSE judgment on the cassation of Antonio Denarium and Edilson Damião's mandates for political and economic power abuse in the 2022 elections resumed in August 2024 after a year-long halt. On August 26, Minister Isabel Gallotti voted to uphold the Roraima Regional Electoral Court (TRE-RR) decision, which cassated the mandates in 2023 for irregular use of social programs like Cesta da Família and Morar Melhor for electoral purposes.
The Cesta da Família program was instituted in January 2022, unifying prior projects and benefiting up to 50,000 low-income families, which the Electoral Public Ministry (MPE) viewed as an attempt to legitimize free distribution in an election year, prohibited by law. Morar Melhor involved renovations of poor families' homes. In an 82-page vote, Gallotti confirmed charges including basic basket deliveries, transfers of nearly R$ 70 million to 12 of 15 municipalities, and excessive publicity spending, stating that the Covid-19 public calamity was used as a pretext for electoral benefits.
On Tuesday, November 11, Minister André Mendonça partially followed the relator, recognizing abuse in two of four conducts: the electoral misuse of the social programs. He noted the jump from 10,000 to 50,000 beneficiaries in Cesta da Família and the potential impact, exceeding Denarium's 44,000-vote reelection margin. 'Both occurred in the election year and show sufficient gravity for the imposition of the sanction proper to recognizing the abusive practice. Quantitatively, more than 40,000 families were benefited,' Mendonça stated.
After the vote, Minister Kassio Nunes Marques requested vista, postponing the judgment. Remaining voters are Antonio Carlos, Floriano de Azevedo Marques, Estela de Andrade Bezerra, and President Cármen Lúcia. The TRE-RR also declared Denarium ineligible and ordered new elections, but the defendants deny irregularities and remain in office until a final decision.