Demosthenes' expulsion process begins Tuesday.
The DEM party's National Executive Committee has scheduled a meeting to decide whether to open an internal investigation that could lead to the senator's expulsion from the party; he is accused of having ties to illegal gambling operator Carlinhos Cachoeira, who was arrested in a Federal Police operation.
Agency Brazil - The political fate of Senator Demóstenes Torres (GO), suspected of involvement with businessman Carlos Augusto Ramos, known as Carlinhos Cachoeira, will begin to be defined next week. On Tuesday (3), the National Executive of Democrats (DEM), Demóstenes' party, scheduled a meeting to decide whether an internal investigation process will be opened that could lead to his expulsion from the party.
Demosthenes's press office informed Agência Brasil that he has already received from the Attorney General's Office (PGR) the documents containing data from the investigations involving him. If the DEM party decides to open a case against the senator, a rapporteur will be appointed and a deadline of less than a month will be set for the defense.
There is information, published in various media outlets, that Demóstenes maintained ties with Carlinhos Cachoeira, arrested for involvement with slot machines in Goiás. The suspicion is that the senator passed on information to the businessman, conducted business with him, and received gifts. The parliamentarian confirmed that he received an imported stove and refrigerator, worth R$ 30, as wedding gifts from Cachoeira.
This week, Demóstenes stepped down from his position as leader of the party's caucus in the Senate, justifying that he needs more time to prepare his defense. The national president of the DEM party, Senator José Agripino Maia (RN), has assumed both the leadership of the party and the leadership in the Senate. On the 27th, Agripino said that the party may have to make sacrifices, referring to Demóstenes.
In 2009, the DEM's leadership experienced a similar situation due to allegations involving its only governor at the time, José Roberto Arruda, of the Federal District. Arruda was accused of coordinating a corruption scheme in the Federal District and, as a result of these allegations, was threatened with expulsion from the Democrats. To avoid expulsion, Arruda left the party.