Garotinho drops appeal Rio result still pending

Oct 4

Vladimir Platonow reports Anthony Garotinho's October 5 withdrawal of his candidacy-registration appeal, which could remove his votes from the valid total and allow Douglas Ruas to win Rio's governorship in the first round. The report says Ruas fell 0.73 percentage points short of the required majority; Eduardo Paes received 42.76% and Garotinho 3.17%. It retains both possibilities: a TSE decision validating Garotinho's votes could require a runoff, while upholding the regional court's rejection could confirm Ruas. Floriano Marques has referred the matter to the Electoral Public Prosecutor's Office with two days to respond; no final TSE decision is announced. Rodrigo Brandão explains that public interest in an election result may allow the court to decide the merits despite withdrawal, and describes the unresolved start of the ineligibility period. Platonow recalls alleged health-fund diversion during Garotinho's service in Rosinha's 2005–06 administration. The allegation and legal assessment remain attributed.

Rio de Janeiro's October 4 governor vote leaves the final first-round outcome unresolved in TV Brasil's October 5 account. Douglas Ruas is reported 0.73 percentage points short of the required majority, Eduardo Paes on 42.76%, and Anthony Garotinho on 3.17%. Garotinho's candidacy and whether his votes count remain before the TSE. Invalidating those votes could produce a Ruas first-round victory; validating them could require an October 25 runoff. Neither outcome is established at airtime. The October 6 live report adds the Electoral Prosecutor's Office's advisory recommendation to accept Garotinho's appeal withdrawal and PSOL's request to count the votes despite the post-result withdrawal. The TSE decision is still pending. The same broadcast's generic runoff explainer lists Rio among governor runoffs; that source statement does not establish the legal outcome and is retained with this unresolved qualification. The October 7 TV Brasil report adds the October 8 hearing notice on accepting Garotinho's appeal withdrawal and urgency before Friday's broadcasting campaign. Final vote annulment could yield a Ruas first-round victory; accepting the votes could require a Ruas–Paes runoff. It still establishes neither a completed TSE ruling nor a final Rio outcome. TV Brasil's October 8 account now reports the TSE's 5–2 exclusion of Garotinho's votes and a TRE retabulation scheduled for Saturday October 10. Ruas is reported at 49.27% and Paes at 42.76%; this broadcast gives Garotinho 3.71%, differing from the earlier 3.17%. The ruling paves the way for an outright Ruas victory, but Paes announces a proposed STF challenge and Brandão retains the rare constitutional-intervention possibility. The hosts retain the qualified result. Retabulation and an STF outcome remain future or unresolved. TV Brasil's October 9 report says Zanin rejected Paes's coalition's request the previous day because TSE remedies remained available. Paes criticizes but accepts the decision and thanks voters. TRE retabulation is still scheduled for October 10 and an outright Ruas victory remains expected rather than a completed final result.