Paraíba Electoral Court orders removal of political video

The Electoral Court of Paraíba has ordered the removal of a video posted by Caio, a candidate for federal deputy, following a legal challenge by federal deputy and candidate Cabo Gilberto Silva.

Judge Renata Barros de Assunção Paiva ruled that the video, which was promoted on Instagram, exceeded the boundaries of political criticism. The court noted that the content included offensive expressions and featured an object associated with physical punishment. In the video, Caio suggested that Gilberto “is deserving of this” while displaying the object.

Under Brazilian electoral law, while internet content can be boosted to promote a candidacy, using such mechanisms for negative electoral propaganda against opponents is prohibited. The judge determined that the combination of verbal and visual elements in the video directly associated the adversary with the practice of physical violence.