Entre as urnas e as togas: Justiça Eleitoral e competição política no Pará (1982/1986)

Abstract

In this work, we analyze the electoral governance exercised by the TRE-PA (Electoral Regional Court at Pará State, Brazil), particularly its exemption level in electoral disputes concerning elections to the governor and senator, 1982 and 1986, with hindsight the period 1945 to 1965 - the first time to work continuous and prolonged of Electoral Justice system in a democratic context, before the Military Coup of 1964. We assume according to which, given the peculiar composition of the Electoral Justice system, which works borrowing judges from common law courts, and the Regional Electoral courts composed mostly of members of the state courts of justice, coupled with the pattern of relationship executive-judiciary state system, historically characterized by the subordination of the second by first power, there is a high probability of favoring the TRE/PA to majority candidates (Governor and Senator) of the ruling party, a circumstance aggravated by the historical period in depth, considering the massive interference of the state executive power on its judiciary, observed previously the promulgation of the Brazilian Constitution of 1988. However, although there is strong evidence to corroborate this hypothesis in the period 1945-65, we found no evidence to support it during the elections of 1982 and 1986. In 1982, the TRE showed a reasonable degree of impartiality and consistency in their judgments, except in two similar cases: one caused by the PDS and the other by the PMDB, both involving a significant number of votes. The PMDB party, sponsored by the then governor, won the deal, while the PDS, the opposition party, was defeated. With regard to the election of 1986, we observe a provision of the court to deny the requests proposed by the legends opposition, especially the PT and PMB extinguished, although it is not possible to demonstrate a clear bias to the ruling party.