Brazil's Sergipe Court Cancels Simão Dias Mayor's Mandate, Orders New Election

The Regional Electoral Court of Sergipe (TRE‑SE) voted on 17 May 2024 to cancel the mandates of Simão Dias mayor Cristiano Viana Menezes and vice‑mayor José Renaldo Prata Sobrinho. Both were declared ineligible for eight years and the court ordered fresh municipal elections.

The court concluded the officials had abused economic and political power during the pre‑electoral period, organizing large public events such as “Domingão da Gente” and “Festival da Gente” that featured musical performances, extensive media promotion, and free food and drinks, thereby compromising election fairness. The ruling overturns a previous lower‑court decision and stems from an electoral‑investigation lawsuit filed by the local Labour and Union coalition and the Union Brazil party directory.