Governor Romeo Zema (Novo) posted a video last Saturday (29) in which he appeared setting off fireworks at his residence in Belo Horizonte to celebrate the defeat of the Workers’ Party in a legal case against him.
However, as of 2022 a municipal law prohibits the burning of firecrackers and firecrackers in the state capital of Minas Gerais, as well as other pyrotechnic devices with annoying sound effects.
When contacted, the Minas State Government sent the Governor’s comment in the post in which he stated that the fireworks noise was added when editing the video.
In the footage, in a sarcastic tone, the governor says he is “very saddened by the news” that Labor has lost the case against him and then lights off fireworks.
The municipal law, which was regulated in 2023, stipulates that a fine of R$ 100 will be imposed on anyone who does not comply with this rule, and the amount may increase in the event of a repeated violation. The BH City Council was asked if the governor had been sanctioned, but did not respond.
The lawsuit filed by President Lula’s party demanded that Zima delete posts on his networks alleging that the Workers’ Party “stole money from pensioners,” referring to investigations into unauthorized cuts at the National Social Security Institute.
Brasilia’s 13th Civil Court judge Vanessa Maria Trevisan rejected the PT’s request and stated that the criticisms were an expression of the governor’s opinion.
He also said that “in relevant public interest cases” protection of freedom of expression should be the norm, as long as boundaries are not crossed.
Zema, a former candidate for next year’s presidential elections, has increased his rhetoric against the Workers’ Party and President Lula in recent months in an attempt to bolster the president’s opponent image.
In addition to the investigations conducted by the Institute, the governor’s criticisms of the security policy of the federal government and the administration of his predecessor in state government, Fernando Pimentel (PT), are also a frequent target.