Official ruling from the higher court on the appeal

TRE-GO Declares Caiado Ineligible for 8 Years, Annulls Goiânia Mayor's Election

Dec 11, 2024, 02:28 PM

The Regional Electoral Court of Goiás (TRE-GO) has condemned Governor Ronaldo Caiado (União Brasil), who was elected with over 1.8 million votes, to eight years of ineligibility for abuse of political power. The decision also led to the annulment of the mayoral election results in Goiânia, where Sandro Mabel (União Brasil), who secured 55.53% of the votes, was elected mayor. The court's ruling was based on the use of the Palácio das Esmeraldas for political events supporting Mabel's candidacy. Both Caiado and Mabel, along with the elected vice-mayor Cláudia Lira (Avante), have the right to appeal the decision. The condemnation stems from allegations that Caiado organized dinners at the government headquarters to garner support for Mabel during the election campaign. Caiado's allies express confidence that he will successfully appeal the decision. The decision has sparked discussions on its potential impact on future elections, with some analysts suggesting that the ineligibility ruling might not hold up in higher courts.