Brazil: they sacked a deputy and evangelical leader accused of the murder of her husband

The Brazilian Congress on Wednesday sacked deputy and evangelical leader Flordelis dos Santos, accused by the courts of ordering the murder of her husband, in June 2019.

By 437 votes for and 7 against, the deputies approved in plenary session the dismissal of Dos Santos, elected in 2018 by the Social Democratic Party (PSD, conservative). The now former legislator, who, with this decision he loses his legislative privileges, he participated in this hearing with his lawyer.

Research evidence indicates that “There is no doubt that Mrs. Floredelis was involved in the murder of Anderson do Carmo”, declared the rapporteur of the case, the deputy Alexandre Leite, recommending the cassation for non-respect of the “Parliamentary decorum.”

The one known as Flordelis, 60 years old, She was indicted in court in Rio de Janeiro for orchestrating the murder of Pastor Anderson, 42, with the help of seven of her nearly 50 children., between natural and adoptive, as well as a granddaughter, due to conflicts of money and power.

“The relationship between the MP and her husband, according to intercepted conversations, had long been on the wrong track and poorly managed, until this tragic end came.”commented the rapporteur.

Flordelis remained at liberty because of his parliamentary immunity, but since October 2020 she was forced by the courts to wear an electronic ankle bracelet.

“When the court acquits me, when you fall asleep, you will regret having sentenced a person who has not yet been tried”, Flordelis defended himself in plenary.

Anderson was killed with 30 bullets in the garage of his house in Niterói, metropolitan area of ​​Rio de Janeiro, in the hands of his stepson Flávio dos Santos Rodrigues, the biological son of Flordelis.

The prosecutor’s office attributed the crime to the tensions created by the “Tight control of family finances” by Anderson, which thus prevented granting “preferential treatment” to those closest to Flordelis.

Previously, the former MP, also known for singing gospel music, she allegedly attempted to poison her husband’s food or drink on at least six occasions. Today, she is charged with aggravated homicide, criminal conspiracy, ideological and documentary lying, and attempted murder.

Losing her seat can now open the doors of the prison for a crime which she says since her husband’s death, It was committed by two men who followed them on a motorbike and shot her husband when they arrived at his home.

In all, 11 people (almost the whole family) have been denounced and will be tried.

Born in the favela of Jacarezinho, Flordelis met Anderson in 1994 and since then they have had four biological children and adopted over 50 vulnerable babies, children and adolescents. With them, he founded the Ministry of the Evangelical Community Flordelis.

She decides to try her luck in politics and in 2018 she is elected federal deputy of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), which supports the candidacy of the current president, Jair Bolsonaro, which counted among its base dozens of evangelical pastors.

His story was portrayed in 2009 in movie, a mix of documentary and fiction, starring many actors from the influential Globo TV.

(With information from AFP and EFE)

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