Request for review postpones vote on opinion on Zambelli’s mandate

A collective request for a view postponed the vote on the report by deputy Diego Garcia (Republicanos-PR) in the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) of the Chamber of Deputies that deals with the loss of mandate of federal deputy Carla Zambelli (PL-SP). Earlier, Garcia presented his opinion expressing his opposition to the parliamentarian’s impeachment.

With the request for review, the report will only be analyzed after two meetings of the board. The forecast is that Zambelli and his defense will be heard at the next CCJ meeting.

Zambelli was sentenced by the Federal Supreme Court (STF) to 10 years in prison, a fine and the loss of her mandate in the case related to the invasion of the National Justice Council (CNJ) systems. The deputy, however, fled to Italy in July, shortly before her arrest was ordered.

The parliamentarian is imprisoned in the European country, awaiting a decision from the Italian court on the extradition request made by Brazil. In the most recent move, the Italian Public Ministry gave a favorable opinion to extradition.

The decision on loss of mandate was forwarded to the CCJ, also in June, by the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB).

In his opinion, Garcia stated that there was no certainty that Zambelli ordered the attack on the CNJ systems.

“Wherever there is a shadow of uncertainty, if there is a lack of evidence, let respect for the vote of almost one million Brazilians who elected her prevail,” he wrote.

The deputy also accused the STF of “political persecution” of Zambelli and that the court’s decision was taken based on what he classified as “some files received by e-mail” and the “dubious testimony” of hacker Walter Delgatti Netto, who was also convicted and arrested for the invasion of the CNJ system. In the invasion on January 4, 2023, the hacker included a false arrest request against Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF).

“Because, by doing so (defending the loss of her mandate), we would not just condemn a deputy. We would condemn her voters. We would silence almost a million voices who placed, at the polls, the hope of being represented in this Parliament. And reproducing the fruits of a political persecution that tarnished the Judiciary power, will only serve to tarnish the Legislative power as well”, Garcia said.

After voting on the opinion, it will be taken to the Chamber plenary for the final vote. To lose the mandate, an absolute majority of votes from the 513 deputies is required.

The leader of PSOl, Fernanda Melchionna (PSOL-RS) said that the opinion is a slap in the face to the Brazilian people.

“We are not judging innocence here, which obviously neither I nor the Judiciary believe, after all, she was convicted. We are discussing here whether someone who is imprisoned in another country, without access to the internet, in xilindró, will be able to continue with the mandate of federal deputy”, he said.

“The report is a slap in the face of the Brazilian people, because no sane person thinks that the Chamber of Deputies has to spend R$140,000 per month to pay advisors for a mandate that does not exist, because there is a deputy in prison,” he added.