RJ: mayor elected in Angra is ordered to pay a fine for using Bolsonaro’s image

The elected mayor of Angra dos Reis (RJ), Cláudio Ferreti (MDB)and his coalition “Angra no Caminho Certo” were ordered to pay a fine of R$30,000 for the misuse of the former president’s image Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

Ferreti’s judicial defeat came after Renato Araújo (PL)candidate of the former president in the city, filed a lawsuit due to the fact that the emedebista had distributed “saints” in the city with his image alongside Bolsonaro.

In the sentence, published by the portal Tempo Real, on Sunday (13), the judge understood that the use of the former president’s image by Ferreti as “disinformative propaganda” due to the fact that Bolsonaro’s support for Araújo was “public knowledge”.

“It is public knowledge that Jair Bolsonaro absolutely supported the candidate Renato de Araújo against Ferreti. In this context, and as stated by Parquet Eleitoral in a ministerial opinion, those represented in fact committed disinformative propaganda, capable of giving rise to the application of the fine provided for by law”, says the decision.

Understand the case

According to Bolsonaro, the emedebista used his image in the campaign even without his support. He also accused his opponent of using the city hall structure to coerce, threaten and persecute companies and employees in favor of the elected mayor.

Ferreti obtained 40,681 votes (42.41% of valid votes), while Renato Araújo won 39,579 votes (41.27% of valid votes). The city on the south coast of Rio de Janeiro does not have a second round.

In the video, published on Araújo’s profile, Bolsonaro says that Ferreti used his image in “santinhos”. He also accuses the elected party of breaking laws to win the elections, but does not specify which ones or how. The former president said that a new mayor will be elected, who will be “decent and honest”.

Bolsonaro reported the irregular campaign leaflets to the Federal Police (PF). The former president relied on article 350 of the Electoral Code, which prohibits “inserting or having a false statement inserted, or other than what should be written, for electoral purposes”. Search and seizure warrants were carried out at the printing plant and at the campaign base, where the materials were found.