São Paulo’s Deliberative Council Vice President João Farias Júnior has reinstated the Ethics Committee, which had been dissolved by Council President Olten Ayres de Abreu Júnior. A new group appointed by Olten to replace the committee has now been invalidated.
Farias Júnior argued that Olten’s decision involved a conflict of interest, as the Council President is a defendant in an internal disciplinary process. The committee had recommended suspending Olten for reckless management during the statutory reform process. It also suggested opening a police investigation for ideological falsehood within the Consultative Council, a move that has already been carried out.
Olten had previously declared himself unable to oversee the disciplinary proceedings against himself, which were set to be voted on by the Deliberative Council this Tuesday. That responsibility fell to Farias Júnior. However, the president intervened by dissolving the Ethics Committee.
The committee was also handling other ongoing cases, including requests to expel Júlio Casares, Carlos Belmonte, and Antônio Donizete. The trio is under investigation by the Civil Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office for alleged irregularities.
“The abrupt and unjustified removal of the Ethics Committee members, after these proceedings were initiated, creates a concrete risk of procedural invalidity for the actions already taken, as well as a break in the continuity of evidentiary investigations—circumstances that would seriously harm São Paulo and its members, who have a legitimate interest in the investigation and punishment of any misconduct,” Farias Júnior argued.
The vice president reiterated that Olten is barred from acting in the cases where he is a defendant, ordered the Ethics Committee to resume its activities, and stated that he himself is responsible for conducting the proceedings targeting Olten.
