In a historical session, marked with tension, tumult, fights, punches and even a preliminary decision of Federal Supreme Court, to guarantee the presence of deputies at the Plenary, the Senate absolved - with 35 votes for mandate loss, 40 for absolution and 6 abstentions - the president of the institution, Renan Calheiros (PMDB-AL), of breaking parliamentary decorum and, thus, they maintained the parliamentarian's mandate.

It is the first time in Senate’s history that a president of the institution is judged by the Plenary for breaking parliamentary decorum. To be approved, the Ethics Council recommendation that decreed the loss of Renan’s mandate, which was voted in secrete session, needed favorable vote of at least 41 parliamentarians.

Before the session started, there was confusion at the Plenary’s entrance: a fight involving deputies Raul Jungmann (PPS-PE) and Fernando Gabeira (PV-RJ) with Senate police guards, because they did not have authorization to permit the entrance of the deputies. They punched each other and senator Tião Viana (PT-AC), that tried to allow the entrance of deputies, was hit by Gabeira, that apologized after.

The session was secret during the whole time. Journalists and parliamentary assistants occupied the corridors and galleries that were close to Plenary. In the lawn in front of National Congress, PSOL accomplished a manifestation, with fireworks, against the secret session and closed voting.

It was 17:30 when the first vice-president of Senate, Tião Viana, opened the session to communicate the voting result.

That was the first of three processes against Calheiros for breaking parliamentary decorum, all based in accusations published by Veja magazine. According to the magazine, he had part of his private expenses paid by an employee of Mendes Júnior company. The magazine specifically referred to an alimony pension of R$ 12,000 paid to journalist Mônica Veloso, with whom the senator has a three year old daughter.

As the value of pension exceeded a parliamentarian's incomes, Calheiros presented, to defend himself, bank statements that, according to him, proved external incomes with cattle operations in his farms.

How the Ethics Council recommendation was rejected and Calheiros mandate was maintained, other processes against the senator continue their legislative procedure.