'I owe no one anything,' says Romário amid pressure from Bolsonaro supporters

Senator Romário (PL-RJ) said on Friday 8 that he had not broken with former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), but said he owed "nothing to anyone." The message comes amid pressure from Bolsonaro supporters for him to sign the impeachment request against Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes .

As of Friday night, the former Brazilian national team player had not endorsed the far-right-led offensive against the judge.

"I have a good relationship with the PL and continue to work for Rio and Brazil on the issues I've always championed, such as sports, health, inclusion, and the defense of people with disabilities," he wrote. "I owe no one anything."

He also stated that he had not broken ties with Bolsonaro or deleted posts featuring the former captain. "During the campaign, photos with Bolsonaro and other candidates were only published in stories, never in the feed."

Bolsonarism mobilizes

The opposition in the Senate claimed to have obtained 41 signatures last Thursday, the 7th, for the impeachment of Moraes . This number represents a simple majority in the House and would be enough to approve the formal opening of the process in the plenary, if Senate President Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP) were to agree to put it on the agenda.

According to Senator Rogério Marinho (PL-RN), the coordinator of the initiative, the 41st signature came from Laércio Oliveira (PP-SE). After this number, the opposition decided to demobilize the occupation that had been taking place in the plenary chamber since the beginning of the week.

Even with the support of more than half of the senators, the process will remain stalled. This is because it is solely up to the president to decide whether or not to accept an impeachment request against Supreme Court justices. Alcolumbre has already stated that he does not intend to address the issue.

How does the impeachment of a Supreme Court minister work?

The impeachment of a Supreme Court justice is provided for inLaw 1,079/1950 . See the step-by-step process:

• the request must be filed with the Senate Board of Directors;
• the President of the House decides whether to accept or file;
• if accepted, the request is read in plenary and forwarded to a special committee;
• the committee has up to 10 days to issue an opinion;
• the opinion is voted on in plenary by a simple majority (41 votes);
• if approved, the minister will be provisionally removed;
• the final judgment requires the vote of 2/3 of the senators in office (54 votes) for definitive impeachment and possible ineligibility for up to eight years.

Although the instrument is provided for by law, no STF minister has been impeached.

The trigger for the proposal's advancement was Jair Bolsonaro 's house arrest , decreed by Moraes.

Read the list of senators who signed the request:

• Marcos Rogerio (PL-RO);
• Esperidião Amin (PP-SC);
• Cleitinho (Republicans-MG);
• Plinio Valério (PSDB-AM);
• Flavio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ);
• Hamilton Mourão (Republicans-RS);
• Carlos Portinho (PL-RJ);
• Alan Rick (Union-AC);
• Jorge Seif (PL-SC);
• Magno Malta (PL-ES);
• Eduardo Gomes (PL-TO);
• Lucas Barreto (PSD-AP);
• Marcos Pontes (PL-SP);
• Eduardo Girão (Novo-CE);
• Sergio Moro (União-PR);
• Luis Carlos Heinze (PP-RS);
• Damares Alves (Republicans-DF);
• Tereza Cristina (PP-MS);
• Jaime Bagattoli (PL-RO);
• Wilder Morais (PL-GO);
• Styvenson Valentim (PSDB-RN);
• Marcos do Val (Podemos-ES);
• Oriovisto Guimarães (PSDB-PR);
• Marcio Bittar (Union-AC);
• Jorge Kajuru (PSB-GO);
• Izalci Lucas (PL-DF);
• Alessandro Vieira (MDB-SE);
• Nelsinho Trad (PSD-MS);
• Zequinha Marinho (Podemos-PA);
• Professor Dorinha Seabra (União-TO);
• Rogerio Marinho (PL-RN);
• Wellington Fagundes (PL-MT);
• Carlos Viana (Podemos-MG);
• Margareth Buzetti (PSD-MT);
• Ephraim Filho (União-PB);
• Dr. Hiran (PP-RR);
• Jayme Campos (União-MT);
• Ivete da Silveira (MDB-SC);
• Mecias de Jesus (Republicanos-RR);
• Pedro Chaves (MDB-GO);
• Laércio Oliveira (PP-SE).