Brazil Senate president disregards order to leave office
A justice officer left the Senate earlier this afternoon without notifying the upper house chairman, senator Renan Calheiros, of the preliminary injunction issued yesterday (Dec. 5) by Supreme Court Justice Marco Aurélio, ordering Calheiros to step down the Senate's presidency.
Calheiros refused to sign the notification after the Senate Board released a ruling, in which they granted the Senate president the right to the regulatory deadline for him to put up his defense.
In a press statement, Calheiros said he would "abide by the board's decision because it observes the principle of separation of powers." He criticized Justice Marco Aurélio "for taking a monocratic decision only nine days to the end of the legislative year."
"I honestly do not think that this can happen in any democracy," Calheiros said.
The Senate House Board also decided to wait for a Supreme Court final sentence on a possible ouster of Calheiros. The decision was reached based on the principle of separation of powers and considering that Marco Aurélio's rule determined a deadline for the Senate president to put up his defense.
In practice, the decision of the House Board—signed by at least 8 of its members—and Calheiros's refusal to sign the Supreme Court's notification means that the Senate president will not leave the office.
Translated by Amarílis Anchieta
Fonte: Brazil Senate president disregards order to leave office
