Former Maranhão Governor Flávio Dino Secures Defamation Conviction Against José Linhares

A court in São Luís sentenced José Fernandes Linhares Júnior to two years and fifteen days of detention, initially in an open regime, for injuring and defaming former Maranhão governor Flávio Dino. The judgment, issued by Judge Flávio Roberto Ribeiro Soares of the 6th Criminal Court, also imposed a fine of 36 days‑worth of wages and replaced imprisonment with community service.

The case stemmed from a June 13 2021 tweet in which Linhares called Dino a “governador vagabundo” and claimed the governor was taking undue credit for the city’s COVID‑19 vaccination rollout. The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Maranhão pursued the action, labeling the statements as injuria and defamation. Linhares’ defense argued political criticism protected by free‑speech safeguards, but the court rejected that argument and upheld the conviction, which remains subject to appeal.