Augusto Melo has been removed from the presidency of Corinthians. The impeachment decision, which is not yet final, was taken in a secret vote this Monday (26), in an extraordinary meeting of the club’s Deliberative Council, at Parque São Jorge.
In total, 236 of the 300 Corinthians councilors – both elected and tenured – attended the meeting, of which 234 voted, as one did not vote and another abstained. Furthermore, at the end of the count, there were 176 votes in favor of impeachment and 57 against – and one blank vote.
With the favorable decision for the temporary departure of the leader, Osmar Stabile, 1st vice president, takes over the position. In total, there were 234 votes and the final count was 176 votes in favor of impeachment and 57 against – and one blank vote.
What determines the club’s statute
According to the club’s statutes, the Deliberative Council must call, within five days, a General Assembly of Members to approve or not the impeachment of the president.
The request for the removal of Augusto Melo was filed by the group ‘Movimento Reconstrução SCCP’. Therefore, the request is based on the investigation conducted by the Civil Police of São Paulo that led to the indictment of the President for the crimes of criminal association, qualified theft and money laundering related to the VaideBet case.
Also indicted were former marketing superintendent Sérgio Moura, former administrative director Marcelo Mariano, and Alex Fernando André, known as Alex Cassundé, named in the contract between the club and the betting house as the intermediary of the agreement.
However, in addition to the ongoing process at the Deliberative Council, Augusto Melo is responding to three other requests for dismissal submitted to the club’s Ethics Committee
Augusto Melo and the President of the Council talk about the case
Augusto Melo also made a statement before the vote on the impeachment process.
“I leave with my head held high. If we are doing something good for Corinthians, what are we doing wrong? Your duty, as a fan, is also to demand things. Demand that the accounts be opened. Why do you think they wanted to get me out of here in a hurry? The fans now have the chance to demand that the accounts be opened. Do it for the good of Corinthians. Thank you, see you soon,” he said in the final part of his speech.
President of the Deliberative Council, Romeu Tuma Júnior spoke in a statement after Augusto Melo was removed from the presidency.
“It is not a happy moment for Corinthians, but that is what is in the Statute. The process progressed as it should. The meeting was not a happy meeting, but that is what it should be. The defense had the opportunity to speak, the Ethics Committee, and the Board deliberated in accordance with Article 107. The president was dismissed and this is a precautionary measure. We have to wait for the General Assembly of members.
“The 1st vice president has already signed the term of office, even for legal reasons, to have access to the banks and so that the club will not stop. Now, life goes on. Let’s take the club off the pages that do not interest us and put it back on the sports pages. The result was 234, I abstained from voting. There were 176 votes in favor of the impeachment, 57 against and one abstention.”
What happens if the General Assembly votes in favor of impeachment?
As indicated in the Corinthians statute, in the event of a favorable decision to dismiss Augusto Melo at the General Members’ Meeting, the person who will take over on an interim basis is Osmar Stabile, 1st vice-president, who has a period of 30 days to call a new election in the Deliberative Council, this time indirect, for the election of a new president until the end of the current term, in 2026.
Only members of the current Deliberative Council can run for this election.
