Lana Cristina
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - Yesterday (30), the Federal Supreme Court denied former PT deputy José Dirceu's request to annul the floor session of the Chamber of Deputies that revoked his legislative mandate. Dirceu was thus hoping to be able to resume his seat.

Minister Gilmar Mendes rejected the arguments presented to the Court on March 23 by Dirceu's lawyer, José Luiz Oliveira Lima, to the effect that his client was denied the right of self-defense during the suspension process.

Oliveira Lima argued that the report approved by the Chamber on November 30, requesting Dirceu's suspension, was different from the text previously approved by the Ethics Council. What really happened was that the STF had itself decided to eliminate parts of the Council's report, partially granting a temporary injunction order solicited by Dirceu last October.

At the time the sections containing testimony presented by the only prosecution witness, Katia Rabelo, president of the Banco Rural, were removed. The Ministers accepted the defense's argument that due process had been violated, because the deputies on the Council only received Rabelo's testimony after first hearing the witnesses for the defense.

In his decision, yesterday, Minister Mendes, as well as rejecting Dirceu's request, asked the president and the governing body of the Chamber of Deputies to provide him with information on Dirceu's suspension process. The information must reach the STF within 10 days.

Translation: David Silberstein