TCM-BA suspends advance payment for Gusttavo Lima concert

The Court of Accounts of the State of Bahia (TCM-BA) has ordered the municipality of Ribeira do Pombal to suspend the full and advance payment of R$ 1.5 million to Balada Eventos e Produções Ltda. The payment is intended for a concert by singer Gusttavo Lima scheduled for October 11, 2026, as part of the Festa de Outubro.

The decision follows an inspection by the 22nd Regional Inspectorate of External Control, which found insufficient evidence to justify paying the entire contract amount in advance. While the contract was signed without a bidding process and allows for payment up to ten days before the event, the TCM-BA noted that such advance payments are exceptional under administrative law and must be justified by necessity or cost savings.

The court expressed concern that paying the full amount before the performance could expose the municipality to financial loss, particularly noting previous instances where the artist's performances were canceled in other municipalities during 2026. The Mayor, Eriksson Santos Silva, and the Municipal Secretary of Sport, Culture, and Tourism, José Hélio Brito de Souza, have 20 days to present a defense.