Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Clears Marcelo Crivella to Run for Senate in Rio

Minister André Mendonça of Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) issued a provisional injunction that suspends the eight‑year ineligibility imposed on federal deputy and former Rio mayor Marcelo Crivella. The ban, stemming from a conviction by the Rio Regional Electoral Court (TRE‑RJ) over the "QG da Propina" scheme, barred him from running for office until 2028 for alleged abuse of political and economic power during the 2016 and 2020 municipal elections.

Mendonça reasoned that enforcing the ban before a final TSE decision could cause irreparable damage to Crivella’s electoral rights. The injunction allows Crivella to participate in party conventions, register his candidacy and contend for one of Rio de Janeiro's two Senate seats in the upcoming October elections. A related criminal election case concerning the same facts remains pending before the TRE‑RJ.

With the liminar, Crivella joins a field of pre‑candidates that includes Benedita da Silva (PT), Pedro Paulo (PSD), Helena Vieira (PSDB), Marcos Dias (Podemos) and others.