Brazilian candidates debate legal status of feminicide

Brazilian political candidates have sparked debate regarding the legal classification of feminicide. Marco Antônio Superman, a Senate candidate for Minas Gerais representing the Novo party, has called for the removal of the term 'feminicídio' from the Penal Code. He characterized the term as a left-wing neologism and argued that its inclusion in 2025 stems from a conceptual error, proposing instead to restore the homicide qualifier used in 2015.

In Mato Grosso, vice-governor candidate Gisela Simona (União) criticized similar stances held by Senate candidate Antonio Galvan (Avante). Simona argued that questioning specific legislation for women's protection serves to 'naturalize violence' against women. She emphasized that addressing the issue requires tackling structural and cultural factors through education and public policy, rather than focusing solely on increasing criminal penalties.

Statistics from the Brazilian Public Security Forum indicate that 1,571 women were victims of feminicide in the last year, a 4% increase compared to 2024. In Minas Gerais, the State Secretariat of Justice and Public Security recorded 78 feminicides in the first half of this year, a figure identical to the same period last year.