The president of União Brasil, Antonio Rueda, obtained 60.2% of his votes in Belford Roxo. He teamed up with former mayor Márcio Canella, arrested this Thursday (15).
The PF points to Canella's use of militia in the election. The Prosecutor's Office challenged Rueda, pointing out his and Canella's connection to local paramilitary operators.
Rueda and Canella promoted campaigns together and appeared with Fabinho Varandão. The Prosecutor's Office names Varandão as a member of an armed militia in the region.
The TRE-RJ authorized the candidacies of Rueda and Canella. The former mayor received 133,956 votes in Belford Roxo, obtaining 54% of the total for state deputy.
A judge voted against Canella, citing the appointment of a militia member's wife and the influence of drug trafficking. The validity of the former mayor's votes will still be analyzed by the TSE.
A native of Pernambuco and elected federal deputy in his debut at the polls, the national president of União Brasil, Antonio Rueda, received 60.2% of his 155,836 votes in Belford Roxo, in Baixada Fluminense. In the city, he campaigned together with former mayor Márcio Canella, arrested on Thursday (15).
According to the Federal Police, Canella relied on an armed wing and coercion to sustain his electoral dominance in the municipality. In the report that called for the arrest of the former mayor, investigators point out that a convicted militiaman would guarantee him control of electoral corrals.
Rueda is not mentioned in this PF report. The connection between his campaign and suspected militia members, however, was questioned by the Regional Electoral Prosecutor's Office, which spoke out against his candidacy.
In the opinion, the Prosecutor's Office pointed out a “structural and territorial connection” between Rueda, Canella and paramilitary operators in Belford Roxo. The Regional Electoral Court of Rio de Janeiro (TRE-RJ) authorized both candidacies.
The ‘Canella federal’
Rueda was presented in the campaign as "Canella's federal"
Born in Recife, around 2,300 kilometers from Belford Roxo, Rueda concentrated most of his voting for the Chamber of Deputies in the municipality.
He and Canella did a “double”: they promoted their candidacies together, one for federal deputy and the other for state deputy. In the electoral propaganda, Rueda was presented as the “Canella federal”.
The two also appeared in virtual saints alongside Fabinho Varandão, appointed municipal secretary of Sports during Canella's tenure at city hall.
According to the Regional Electoral Prosecutor's Office, Varandão is accused of being part of an armed militia, carrying out violent extortion and threatening traders with death. The agency also attributes to him armed control and the monopoly of internet signal distribution in neighborhoods of Belford Roxo.
In the opinion contrary to Rueda's record, the Prosecutor's Office stated that Varandão would have been kept in the nucleus of local political power and would be part of the base that supported, promoted and operationalized the candidacy of the president of União Brasil.
This action, according to the document, would include the promotion of rallies, meetings and propaganda publications together with Rueda and Canella in Baixada Fluminense.
Despite the Prosecutor's Office's statement to the contrary, the TRE-RJ allowed Rueda to contest the election.
Canella received more than half of the city's votes
A survey by RJ2 shows that Canella, elected the second most voted state deputy in Rio, received 133,956 votes in Belford Roxo — 54% of the votes for the position in the municipality.
The second place in the city, Igo Menezes, had 6,197 votes, or 2.5% of the total. His vote is equivalent to 4.6% of that obtained by the former mayor.
In the four electoral zones of Belford Roxo, Canella received between 46% and 61% of the votes, in a dispute with more than a thousand candidates for state deputy.
Outside of Belford Roxo, his best proportional result was in an electoral zone in Duque de Caxias, also in Baixada Fluminense, where he received 12% of the votes.
The PF report that called for his arrest is from September 3, about a month before the election. In the document, investigators describe the suspected use of militia to guarantee electoral control.
TRE discussed suspicions before the vote
Suspicions of Canella's connection to the militia and its effects on the polls had already been taken to the TRE-RJ by political opponents who asked for his candidacy to be rejected. The questions received support from the Electoral Public Ministry.
Judge Guilherme Calmon voted to prevent the candidacy, but was defeated.
In his vote, Calmon cited the appointment of the wife of former police officer Juracy Prudêncio, known as Jura, to Canella's office when he was a deputy in the Legislative Assembly of Rio (Alerj). Jura is appointed head of the extermination and militia group known as “Bonde do Jura”. The appointment was also mentioned by the PF.
Another point addressed by the judge was the municipal operation Barricada Zero, presented as a program to remove obstacles installed on the streets of Belford Roxo.
According to Calmon's vote, the then mayor's entry into areas dominated by drug trafficking to record campaign videos and carry out works depended on the express authorization of drug traffickers Soró and Doca, the latter appointed as head of Comando Vermelho.
The TRE-RJ plenary, however, authorized Canella's candidacy. The validity of the former mayor's votes will still be analyzed by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), in a trial with no set date.
What those mentioned say
RJ2 asked Márcio Canella's defense for a position, but received no response. On Thursday (15), the lawyers stated that he trusts the justice system and is sure that everything will be clarified.
Antonio Rueda also did not respond to contact.
TV Globo was unable to contact Fabinho Varandão.
