The twists and turns of Rio de Janeiro’s governorship debacle

Rio de Janeiro has long been a state where political drama is the norm — and 2026 is proving no exception. With its governorship vacant, its legislature in disarray and the Supreme Court about to weigh in on who gets to choose the next leader, the country's second-wealthiest state is heading into months of uncertainty, legal wrangling and high-stakes political maneuvering.

The crisis traces back to Cláudio Castro, who resigned as governor last week — conveniently, one day before the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) declared him ineligible for eight years on charges of political and economic abuse of power. Castro had no lieutenant governor, having appointed his 2022 running mate to a seat on the state's accounts court last year.

Under Brazil's Electoral Code, when a governor's term is revoked more than six months before its end, a direct election must be held to choose a replacement. But Castro's camp argued that since he had resigned, rather than been removed, the vacancy should pass down the line of succession, to the State Assembly’s speaker.