Regional Electoral Court decides to disqualify Carla Zambelli

Federal deputy Carla Zambelli is being tried by the Regional Electoral Court of São Paulo (TRE-SP) for an action that investigates the dissemination of false information about the 2022 electoral process. In a session that began this Friday (13), José Antonio Encinas Manfré, TRE-SP judge, voted to revoke the deputy's mandate and make her ineligible for eight years due to abuse of political power and misuse of the media.

The judge, who was in favor of Zambelli's impeachment, presented his vote during the trial of a Judicial Electoral Investigation Action (Aije), emphasizing that the parliamentarian's actions were aimed at dismaying the free will of voters, compromising the electoral dispute, making it uneven.

This action was filed by federal deputy Sâmia Bomfim (PSOL-SP), who cited the presence of a “misinformation ecosystem” that Carla had created to gain political support through the dissemination of false news that questioned the integrity of the elections.

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_{Carla Zambeli during the January 8 coup attempt inquiry session (Photo: reproduction/Evaristo SA/Getty Images Embed)}

Disinformation and abuse of power in the TRE-SP target

Furthermore, Encinas Manfré, rapporteur of the case, showed publications made by the congresswoman who, according to him, acted consciously to spread fraudulent information to promote “incitement of animosity and hostility against the electoral system and members of the Judiciary before and after the period electoral”.

The rapporteur considered that Zambelli's conduct is not protected by freedom of expression, as this fundamental right does not agree with the dissemination of false news and speeches that encourage hatred and contempt for the Democratic Rule of Law. He also alleged that the federal deputy used her political power to constantly share disinformation content and, in doing so, deviate from her role, which should be used to confer credibility and not the other way around.

The parliamentarian's judgment demonstrates some stages of the impeachment process. First, the action was presented and evaluated by the rapporteur, who gave his vote. Furthermore, other members of the court, such as President Silmar Fernandes, also participated with their contributions.

_{Representative Sâmia Bomfim initiated the action to impeach Zambelli (Photo: reproduction/Pablo Valadares/Chamber of Deputies)}

Zambelli's mandate and political future at risk

The Regional Electoral Court of São Paulo (TRE-SP) formed a majority for the impeachment of federal deputy Carla Zambelli. With a score of 4-0 against the parliamentarian, the trial was interrupted after a request for a review from judge Maria Cláudia Bedotti

The session will only continue next year, after the Judiciary recess, and the decision may be appealed to the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). If convicted, the deputy will have her mandate revoked and will be ineligible for eight years, starting in 2022.

Lawyer alleges violation of freedom of expression

Lawyer Flávia Cardoso Campo Guth, who represents Zambelli, said that the congresswoman exercised her right to freedom of expression and that the action filed against the congresswoman does not provide evidence of the alleged crimes nor was she able to explain how the publications made by her would have the ability to influence the electoral dispute. Furthermore, the lawyer also highlighted that Carla had parliamentary immunity when she recorded the video in which she accused the electronic voting machines of manipulation and denounced an effort by left-wing parliamentarians to try to revoke the mandates of deputies allied with Bolsonaro.

Electoral prosecutor Paulo Taubemblatt, representing the Public Ministry, defended Zambelli's conviction, stating that she had “collaborated” with what he described as “scary plots in the post-election period”.

Featured Photo: federal deputy Carla Zambelli (Reproduction/Lula Marques/EBC)