Rio de Janeiro court confirms dismissal of councilor Domingos Brazão after murder conviction

The Rio de Janeiro State Accounts Court (TCE-RJ) has formally stripped counselor Domingos Brazão of his position, following his conviction for orchestrating the assassination of councilwoman Marielle Franco. The Supreme Federal Court sentenced Brazão to 76 years and three months in prison for his role in the crime.

The executive act, published in the State Official Gazette, declares the council seat vacant retroactively to July 9, aligning with the finality of his conviction. The decision also led to the dissolution of Brazão's office, resulting in the dismissal of 18 staff members, including his chief of staff.

With the vacancy now official, the Rio de Janeiro State Legislative Assembly (Alerj) is responsible for nominating a successor. The assembly has a streamlined process for appointments to the TCE and regulatory agencies, allowing interested candidates three business days to submit applications. A rapporteur will then have three sessions to present an opinion before a plenary vote by state deputies.

Domingos Brazão and his brother, former federal deputy Chiquinho Brazão, were identified as the masterminds behind the March 2018 murders of councilwoman Marielle Franco and her driver, Anderson Gomes. The prosecution alleged the motive stemmed from Marielle Franco's political actions, which conflicted with the Brazão brothers' interests in areas influenced by militias. The former military police officer Ronald Paulo Alves Pereira was also convicted in the case.