Supreme Court justice suspends Brazil's Senate head

Justice Marco Aurélio Mello of Brazil's Supreme Court (STF) has suspended the president of the Senate, Renan Calheiros. His ruling issued on Monday (Dec. 5) upholded a request from the Sustainability Network (REDE), a party founded by former senator and presidential hopeful Marina Silva.

The motion to suspend Calheiros from the Senate presidency follows his indictment on embezzlement charges by the Supreme Court last week for alleged use of his representational allowance to pay his daughter's child support through a middleman from Mendes Júnior building contractor.

Calheiros, whose term as Senate head runs until February 1st, 2017, has retained office as Senator for Alagoas state, an eight-year mandate for which he was elected in 2010.

Line of succession

The underlying ground for REDE's request leading to the suspension ruling was an ongoing trial of a case pending before the Supreme Court to prohibit politicians facing criminal prosecution from being in the line of presidential succession. President Michel Temer was originally the vice-president as Dilma Rousseff's running mate, and when he took over the reins as president, the vice-presidential responsibilities automatically shifted on to the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, with the President of the Senate next in line.

In his ruling to suspend Calheiros, Justice Marco Aurélio said Calheiros continuance as Senate president would spark “reactions of all sorts, putting legal certainty at risk.” The suspension ruling is an injunction that will be effective until the court hands down a final ruling in the case.

With Calheiros suspended, the Senate will now be presided by the Workers' Party Senator for Acre state Jorge Viana until February 1st, when the new president and other members of the Senate's board of officers will be elected.

Translated by Mayra Borges