Rafael Ranalli faces complaints over Northeast Brazil posts

The Public Ministry of Mato Grosso (MPMT) has received two formal complaints against Cuiabá city councilor Rafael Ranalli (PL) following social media posts targeting voters in Brazil's Northeast region.

Ranalli shared an image featuring an animal's head superimposed over a map of the Northeast, which critics identified as a donkey or a jackal. The posts followed the first round of presidential elections, where Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) secured a significant majority in the region.

Ranalli has denied allegations of xenophobia, stating his intention was to criticize political voting patterns rather than the population itself. He clarified that he was not using a donkey, but a “jackal,” and argued that his comments were directed at the “vote for number 13” in the Northeast. He further compared the criticism of Northeastern voters to the way voters in the South and Southeast are sometimes labeled. The MPMT will now review the complaints to determine if the content violates laws regarding discrimination based on national origin or ethnicity.