Brazil Supreme Court Halts Vote on State Deputy Renato Freitas's Expulsion

Brazil's Supreme Court Minister Luiz Edson Fachin has upheld the suspension of a vote that could have led to the expulsion of state deputy Renato Freitas (PT). The decision came after Fachin denied an appeal filed by the Legislative Assembly of Paraná (Alep). This monocratic ruling means other ministers on the court can review and potentially overturn Fachin's decision. The expulsion proceedings were initiated following multiple complaints against Freitas after he was involved in an altercation with a parking attendant in downtown Curitiba in November 2025. Freitas maintained he was acting in self-defense during the incident. The appeal reached the Supreme Court after a lower court judge had already suspended the vote, which was initially scheduled for June 16th, citing potential irreversible consequences for the deputy's electoral eligibility. Fachin's decision fully endorsed the lower court's ruling. The case is currently under judicial seal. The Legislative Assembly of Paraná confirmed its intention to appeal, stating that the case should be heard by the full court, especially since the Prosecutor General's Office supported their appeal. The lower court judge had suspended the disciplinary process, deeming that if the expulsion were confirmed and later overturned by the courts, the damage to Freitas's ability to run for office would be irreparable. Freitas's legal action challenges the process, alleging violations of deadlines, denial of defense, restricted evidence, bias from the case rapporteur, and limitations on his right to appeal. The expulsion vote in the assembly followed an approval by the Ethics Council, where five out of six members recommended the removal, deeming it proportional to the breach of parliamentary decorum. Freitas has characterized the process as systematic political persecution. Videos of the incident show Freitas and another man engaged in a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical fight, with both parties sustaining injuries. Freitas reportedly suffered a broken nose.