Elaine Patricia Cruz           Reporter Agência Brasil

São Paulo – Demetrio Vilagra is once again the mayor of Campinas.

On Tuesday, August 23, Vilagra officially moved up from vice mayor to take office as the mayor after the City Council removed Helio Santos for corruption (in a session that lasted most of the weekend, August 20-21). Among various questionable activities, Helio was accused of embezzlement at the local water company (“Sinasa”). However, it was discovered that Vilagra, as a director at Sinasa, may also have been involved in illegal activities there. So, on Wednesday, August 24, the City Council voted 29 to 4 to investigate Vilagra and, in order to expedite the investigation, to remove him from the office of mayor for 90 days. At that time, pursuant to municipal statutes, the president of the City Council, Pedro Serafim, was sworn in as mayor.

However, yesterday, August 25, lawyers for Vilagra got a favorable decision for their client from a state court ruling that the two votes by the City Council were null and ordering Vilagra to be reinstated as mayor.

A statement from the Campinas City Hall last night said that the court decision to annul the City Council commission (“comissão processante”) investigation and removal of the mayor (Vilagra) was received with calm and serenity.

Meanwhile, Vilagra declared that in his opinion, “…the rule of law and justice prevailed.”

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English

Link - Justiça anula afastamento do prefeito de Campinas