The Justice of Rio de Janeiro granted the release of ex-councilor Gabriel Monteiro, who had been imprisoned since November 2022 on suspicion of rape. The ruling was made on March 21, 2025, by Judge Renata Guarino Martins of the 34th Criminal Court of Rio, who decided that Monteiro would be monitored via an electronic ankle bracelet and restricted from leaving the municipality or contacting involved parties.
Gabriel Monteiro, 31, was imprisoned following allegations that he raped a 23-year-old woman after leaving a nightclub in July 2022. Reports indicate that the victim claimed she was threatened with a firearm and physically assaulted by Monteiro during the assault. Additionally, he has faced multiple other charges, including abuse of authority, sexual harassment, and filming sexual acts with minors.
Following a two-year and four-month incarceration, the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) accepted a petition to replace his preventive detention with strict precautionary measures. The decision was unanimous among the judges, with one member highlighting the inappropriateness of keeping Monteiro incarcerated for such an extended period without trial, suggesting the process had experienced significant delays.
The release order arrived at the Pedrolino Werling de Oliveira Prison (Bangu 8) in Rio, where Monteiro had been held. As part of the conditions of his release, Monteiro needs to wear the electronic bracelet and must appear regularly in court. Additionally, he has been instructed to refrain from contacting the victim and other witnesses involved in the case.
The accusations against Monteiro date back to a night in July 2022, when the victim asserts that she met him at the Vitrinni nightclub in Barra da Tijuca and later accompanied him to a friend's house in Joá, Zona Sul, where the alleged assault took place. The victim detailed that he had locked the door, threatened her with a gun, and physically assaulted her, including slapping her, when she resisted.
Aside from the July incident, Monteiro has also been implicated in several other cases: in April 2024, he faced charges for abuse of authority after allegedly breaking into two children’s shelters to film social media content; in May 2023, he was charged with persecution and disrespecting a superior; and in June 2022, for sexual harassment and molestation of a former advisor. These additional charges stemmed from a range of actions during his tenure as a city councilor and beyond.
Monteiro's initial rise to prominence came when he was the third most voted councilor in Rio de Janeiro in 2020, receiving 60,326 votes as part of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). However, his political career was marred by controversies. The Municipal Chamber revoked his mandate due to breaches of parliamentary decorum linked to the various accusations against him, including sexual misconduct and creating misleading videos.
After his release, Monteiro has been met by family, with his father and sister present to receive him. His father, Roberto Monteiro, is a federal deputy, and his sister, Giselle Monteiro, serves as a state deputy. Despite the controversies, Gabriel Monteiro had continued to engage in political activities, although he has not disclosed his immediate plans following his release.
Even amid these serious allegations, Monteiro's actions have not gone unnoticed. The public and legal scrutiny surrounding his case highlights significant concerns about accountability and standards of conduct among public officials in Brazil. Many observers have expressed the need for a thorough examination of the forces that led to his accusations and the implications for future conduct within political spheres.
The legal proceedings and ongoing investigations surrounding Gabriel Monteiro remain active, and court sessions in relation to his allegations are expected to continue. This situation not only challenges his reputation but also raises questions about the broader implications for the integrity of political offices and the safeguarding of citizens against potential abuses.
As debates continue about the adequacy of measures to prevent misconduct by elected officials, Monteiro's case could serve as a critical point of reference for discussions on reform and accountability within Brazilian politics.
