Senate endorses jailing of Senator Delcídio do Amaral

The Senate decided to maintain the arrest of Senator Delcídio do Amaral, of the Workers' Party (PT). In an open (nonsecret) floor vote held Wednesday (Nov. 25), the senators held that Amaral, who is the government leader at Senate, should remain jailed, by 59 votes in favor, 13 against and one abstention.

Amaral has been in custody at the Federal Police building in Brasília following a unanimous decision of the Supreme Court (STF). The 21st stage of Operation Car Wash has also led to the arrest of the head of Senator Amaral's office, Diogo Ferreira, and the president of BTG Pactual bank, André Esteves.

The ground for the arrest was a recording made by Bernardo, the son of Petrobras's former director and Car Wash Operation convict Nestor Cerveró. In the recording, Senator Amaral offers Cerveró a monthly $13,200 stipend for his family and an escape plan to help him flee the country. Amaral's intention was to prevent Cerveró from striking a plea bargain deal with the Public Prosecutor's Office, which has been investigating the corruption scheme at Brazil's state-run oil company.

Ouster
The Senate endorsement of Senator Delcídio Amaral's inprisonment could be the first step toward his removal from office. Senator Cássio Cunha Lima, leader of PSDB, the largest opposition party, said he expects the Senate presiding officers to report Amaral to the Senate Ethics Committee.

“If they [the presiding officers] fail, then the parties can do it. You don't hold office in Congress from jail. This is a difficult, sad situation, but we're upholding the Constitution, the Republic, and democracy,” Lima said.

After the vote, the President of the Senate, Renan Calheiros, declined to comment on the possibility of seeking Amaral's ouster by reporting him to the Ethics Committee.

Translated by Mayra Borges

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