This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. (April 2016) |
José Renan Vasconcelos Calheiros (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁeˈnɐ̃ kaˈʎejɾus]; born 16 September 1955) is a Brazilian politician and former President of the Federal Senate of Brazil. He has represented the state of Alagoas in the senate as a member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement. since 1 February 1995. Renan's presidency of the Brazilian Senate, a term that started 1 February 2013, was revoked on 5 December 2016 by a minister of the Brazilian Supreme Court, Marco Aurélio Mello, who said that a person under investigation could not be in the line of succession for the presidency. However the Supreme Court decided 7 December 2016 that Renan could remain senate president, without being in the succession.
Renan Calheiros | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2023 | |
| Senator for Alagoas | |
| Assumed office 1 February 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Divaldo Suruagy |
| President of the Federal Senate | |
| In office 1 February 2013 – 1 February 2017 | |
| Preceded by | José Sarney |
| Succeeded by | Eunício Oliveira |
| In office 14 February 2005 – 4 December 2007 Leave: 11 October 2007 – 4 December 2007 | |
| Preceded by | José Sarney |
| Succeeded by | Garibaldi Alves Filho |
| Minister of Justice | |
| In office 7 April 1998 – 1 July 1999 | |
| President | Fernando Henrique Cardoso |
| Preceded by | Iris Rezende |
| Succeeded by | José Carlos Dias |
| Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office 1 February 1983 – 1 February 1991 | |
| Constituency | Alagoas |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alagoas | |
| In office 1 February 1979 – 1 February 1983 | |
| Constituency | At-large |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 September 1955 Murici, Alagoas, Brazil |
| Political party | MDB (since 1979) |
| Spouse |
Maria Verônica Rodrigues
(m. 1973) |
| Domestic partner | Mônica Veloso[a] (2003–2007) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents |
|
| Alma mater | Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL) |
| Signature |  |
| Nickname | Athlete / Justice |
Career
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On 25 May 2007, Veja magazine accused Calheiros of accepting funds from a construction industry lobbyist,[2] to pay child support for a child from a previous extramarital affair with broadcast journalist Mônica Veloso. In trying to justify the origin of the funds, subsequent investigations into Calheiros' business dealings led to other revelations of income tax fraud and the use of a proxy to buy a stake in a radio station. Calheiros was subject to a disciplinary inquiry by the senate's ethics committee on four different counts. On 12 September 2007, the senate voted by secret ballot against impeaching Calheiros on the lobbyist funds accusation. He still faces[when?] three separate inquiries on other charges.[3] After the vote public outrage forced congress to eliminate secret ballot voting for ethics violations, meaning Calheiros' three other inquiries, if approved by the ethics committee, will be subject to an open ballot vote in the senate floor.[4]
On 11 October 2007, Calheiros stepped down as president of the senate, taking a 45-day leave of absence from the position. The ethics inquiries continued to progress through the senate committees.[5]
Calheiros worked for both the Fernando Collor de Mello and Fernando Henrique Cardoso governments.[6]
On 1 February 2013, he was again elected president of the Brazilian Senate.[7] Due to the accusations mentioned above, many Brazilians became upset about his election and some started an online petition demanding Renan's impeachment.[8] As of February 2013, it had been signed by more than 1.6 million Brazilians.[8]
The Senate board (João Alberto, Sérgio Petecão, Zezé Perrella, Romero Jucá, Gladson Cameli, Vicentinho Alves) together with Renan Calheiros refused to obey an order from the Supreme Federal Court (Federal Supreme Court) to remove Calheiros from the presidency because he became defendant of embezzlement (peculation in the penal code). The Senate maneuvered so that the justice official could not handle the judicial notice and Calheiros refused to sign it.[9]
The biggest implicated company, Odebrecht kept an entire department to coordinate the payment of bribes to politicians. In the Car Wash Operation, officers seized several electronic spreadsheets linking the payments to nicknames. Every corrupt politician received a nickname based on physical characteristics, public trajectory, personal infos, owned cars/boats, origin place or generic preferences. Renan Calheiro's nickname was 'Athlete' and 'Justice', referring to his morning routine of jogging and his position as president of Senate's Commission of Constitution and Justice.[10]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "Mônica Veloso diz que amou Renan demais e que hoje é o terror de Brasília" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. 24 June 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ Romero, Simon (25 November 2016). "Brazil's President, Michel Temer, Embroiled in New Corruption Scandal". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
- ^ Veja a cronologia do caso Renan Calheiros. Folha de S. Paulo. 26 September 2007. Retrieved on 7 October 2007.
- ^ Guerreiro, Gabriela. Senado aprova fim das sessões secretas para processos de cassação. Folha de S. Paulo. 26 September 2007. Retrieved on 7 October 2007.
- ^ Brazil Senate head steps down for now amid probe. Reuters. 11 October 2007. Retrieved on 12 October 2007.
- ^ A guerra eleitoral e o mercado na Internet Archived 15 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Campanerut, Camila; Calgaro, Fernanda (1 February 2013). "Denunciado ao STF, Renan Calheiros volta à presidência do Senado". UOL Notícias (in Portuguese). Brasília: Grupo Folha. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
- ^ a b "Unstoppable?". The Economist. São Paulo: Economist Group. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
- ^ "Mesa do Senado se recusa a cumprir ordem que afasta Renan". Retrieved 9 December 2016 – via veja.abril.com.br.
- ^ "Apelidos de políticos na Odebrecht: quem é quem". G1. 16 April 2017.
External links
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- Official website Archived 7 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- http://www.protestosbrasil.org/Videos/Peticao-de-saida-de-Renan-Calheiros-e-entregue-forarenan-20 Archived 25 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine