Find out what the session will be like that will judge the impeachment request of the mayor of Caçapava, Yan Lopes (Podemos)

The session of the Caçapava Chamber that will judge the process that could lead to the revocation of the mandate of Mayor Yan Lopes (Podemos) is scheduled for 9 am this Tuesday (10). The vote will be held in the plenary and will be based on the final report of the Processing Committee, which recommended the loss of the mandate.

In an interview with Rede Vanguarda this Monday (9), Yan Lopes once again denied irregularities and said he was confident that his mandate would not be revoked. The Mayor stated that he acted within the law and that he intends to defend himself in this Tuesday's session (read more below).

But how will the session work? What will be analyzed by councilors? And how many votes are needed for the mayor to lose his mandate? Check out what is known about the trial below.

When and where will the session be?

The session is scheduled for this Tuesday (10), at 9am, in the plenary session of Caçapava City Council.

The call was made by the president of the House, councilor Adilson Henrique (PL), after receiving the conclusive report from the Processing Committee, on November 3rd.

What will the trial session be like?

According to information from Rede Vanguarda, the session begins at 9 am, with the reading of the process and the report of the Processing Committee. Afterwards, each councilor will have up to 15 minutes to speak.

Mayor Yan Lopes will also have the right to present his defense, with time of up to two hours. The manifestation may be made by him or her attorney. According to Rede Vanguarda's investigation, the mayor must use the space personally.

After the demonstrations, councilors vote on the process. The schedule also includes a lunch break.

Testimony from Yan Lopes (Podemos) during the commission. — Photo: Bruna Capasciutti/TV Vanguarda/Arquivo

What will be voted on?

Councilors will analyze the impeachment process opened in August, following a complaint filed by Eugênio Pinto de Freitas Filho, husband of vice-mayor Juliana Freitas (Podemos), and three other people.

The complaint points out that the mayor had used R$2.1 million collected from traffic fines to subsidize part of the cost of bus tickets.

The complainants question the allocation of the money based on article 320 of the Brazilian Traffic Code, which determines that resources collected from fines be applied exclusively to actions related to traffic.

The Processing Committee also investigated whether the mayor failed to respond to requests approved by councilors requesting information about the application of resources.

At the end of the work, the commission considered the accusations to be valid and recommended the revocation of the mandate.

How many votes are needed for impeachment?

Caçapava has 11 councilors. For the impeachment request to be approved, at least eight votes in favor are required, equivalent to two thirds of the members of the Chamber.

The final decision rests with parliamentarians, regardless of the recommendation presented by the Processing Committee.

Session of the Caçapava Chamber approved authorization this Thursday (11) — Photo: Reproduction/TV Vanguarda

What might happen after the vote?

Voting can result in two scenarios:

Cassation approved: if at least eight councilors vote in favor, Yan Lopes loses his mandate as mayor.

Cassation rejected: if the request does not reach the necessary eight votes, the mayor does not lose his mandate as a result of this process.

Two councilors will be out of the country during the session

Councilors Dandara Pereira Gissoni (PSB) and Rodrigo Meirelles (PL) are traveling through Portugal and France and then head to Turkey, where they participate in COP 31, the United Nations conference on climate change.

One day after the Processing Committee set the date for the vote, Dandara sent a letter to the President of the Chamber requesting authorization to participate in the session and vote remotely, through a hybrid system. The request, however, was denied by the President of the House.

When contacted, the councilor criticized the decision and stated that remote voting is permitted by Brazilian legislation, remembering that she authorized this format when she presided over the Chamber, in 2021.

What does the mayor say?

Yan Lopes also gave an interview to Rede Vanguarda this Monday (9) and once again denied irregularities in the application of R$2.1 million from the Municipal Transport and Traffic Fund.

The mayor stated that the Public Ministry's statement reinforces the City Hall's understanding that there was no irregularity in the allocation of resources. According to him, the body recognized the existence of municipal laws that allow the payment of subsidies for public transport.

Yan also highlighted that, in the Public Prosecutor's Office's assessment, there was no intent, impropriety or crime on his part.

Regarding the trial this Tuesday (10), the mayor said he was confident in the councilors' decision and stated that he intends to present his defense in person during the session.

"I remain very confident because from the beginning we did what the law allowed, supported by legal opinions", he declared. In an interview with TV Vanguarda on November 4, the mayor said that subsidizing tickets and modernizing the fleet are also forms of investment in public transport.

The president of the Processing Committee, councilor Fran Miranda (PL), stated that the municipality's Attorney's Office authorized the use of resources with reservations.