In a decisive move, the Municipal Chamber of Anapu, located in the southwestern region of Pará, Brazil, has voted to remove Mayor Luiz Carlos Aguiar Leite from his position for a period of up to 90 days. The suspension, approved during an extraordinary session on Tuesday, was primarily due to what the legislative body termed 'willful inertia' in properly maintaining the city's official transparency portal.
The vote was not unanimous, with the final tally showing 10 council members in favor of the suspension and 3 opposed. This action paves the way for a formal investigation into allegations of administrative irregularities during Mayor Leite's tenure. Following the vote, a swearing-in ceremony was held for Vice-Mayor Romildo Silva Rocha of the PSDB party, who will now serve as the interim mayor for the duration of the suspension.
Central to the Chamber's case was the accusation that the municipal transparency portal was merely a decorative facade, failing to meet the minimum legal requirements for public access to financial data. The official complaint highlighted a lack of real-time information on revenue collection and the recording of public expenditures, effectively obscuring the use of taxpayer money from public scrutiny.
Furthermore, the legislative body cited evidence of the mayor's omission, noting a failure to provide adequate responses to formal requests for information submitted by the Chamber. This pattern of non-compliance contributed to the decision to pursue a suspension and a deeper investigation.
As part of the proceedings, the council members also approved the formation of a special investigative committee, known as a 'comissão processante.' This committee will be tasked with conducting the formal inquiry into the alleged irregularities and will guide the investigation over the coming months.
The suspension marks a significant political challenge for Mayor Leite and his Republicanos party. The interim administration under Vice-Mayor Rocha will now be responsible for managing the municipality while the investigation unfolds, a period that could last up to three months.
As of the latest reports, attempts to contact Mayor Leite's defense team for comment had not yet been successful. The outcome of the investigation will determine the next steps, which could range from the mayor's reinstatement to further legal or political consequences.
Based on reporting from g1.