São Paulo Court Rules Vice-Mayor of São José do Rio Preto Must Face Racial Slur Charges

The São Paulo Court of Justice (TJ-SP) has ruled that Fábio Marcondes, the vice-mayor of São José do Rio Preto, will stand trial for racial slur allegations. The decision follows a unanimous ruling by the 3rd Criminal Law Chamber to accept an appeal from the São Paulo Public Ministry, overturning a lower court decision that had initially rejected the complaint.

The incident occurred in February 2025 following a match between Mirassol and Palmeiras. The prosecution alleges that Marcondes used a racial slur against a Palmeiras security guard. While the defense maintains that the phrase used was “paca véia” and lacked racist connotations, the court has ordered the criminal action to proceed.