Contenda councilwomen stripped of mandates over medication seizure

The Municipal Chamber of Contenda, located in the Curitiba metropolitan area, unanimously voted to strip councilwomen Alexsandra Maria dos Santos Lima (known as Índia) and Vanessa Cristina Patla da Silveira of their mandates. The decision was based on a breach of parliamentary decorum.

The incident stems from an official trip to Foz do Iguaçu between July 28 and July 31. During their return, the Federal Highway Police (PRF) stopped the official municipal vehicle in Irati. Officers discovered four ampoules of a weight-loss medication, identified as being based on tirzepatide, hidden among belongings in the trunk. The medication was reportedly brought from Paraguay without proper import documentation or medical prescriptions.

An internal investigation suggested the misuse of public assets and per diems for private purposes. While the trip was officially intended to seek investments for the municipality, reports indicated that scheduled official agendas were canceled, leading to suspicions of using public resources for personal activities. Although the councilwomen later returned their travel allowances, the plenary proceeded with the unanimous vote to remove them from office.