Sorocaba Mayor Expelled from Republicanos Party for Supporting Rival Candidate

The Republicanos party has expelled Sorocaba Mayor Rodrigo Manga due to party infidelity, following his public support for his wife's candidacy with a rival party. The national Ethics Council of the Republicanos made the unanimous decision on August 6, expelling Manga after he campaigned and solicited votes for his wife, Sirlange Maganhato, who is running for federal deputy under the União Brasil banner.

The case was reported by São Paulo councilman André Santos, who recommended expulsion after Manga himself acknowledged his support for his wife's campaign during the disciplinary proceedings. Manga's party membership had been suspended since July 15, when the disciplinary process began. He had also published invitations on social media for his wife's pre-candidacy launch event with União Brasil.

According to the party's statutes, members with elected office are subject to penalties including warnings, suspension, or expulsion if they formally or informally express political support for candidates or public figures who contradict the party's interests. Manga, known as the 'tiktoker' mayor, has a significant social media following, with 3.4 million followers on TikTok and 4 million on Instagram. He was re-elected mayor of Sorocaba in 2024 with 73% of the vote.

Manga's political career has faced previous legal challenges. He was temporarily removed from office in November 2025 due to suspicions of corruption related to alleged embezzlement in the municipal health sector. However, a preliminary injunction from Supreme Federal Court (STF) Minister Nunes Marques reinstated him in March 2026, a decision later confirmed by the court's Second Panel. The mayor still faces charges from the Public Prosecutor's Office including criminal organization, money laundering, passive corruption, embezzlement, illegal contracting, and bid rigging, stemming from the Police's Operation Copia e Cola.