Court bars Brazilian town from paying Gusttavo Lima R$1.5 million upfront, citing his cancellations
Bahia's municipal audit court blocked the advance fee for the Oct. 11 show in Ribeira do Pombal; the concert itself remains authorized.
Foto: Reprodução/A TardeThe Bahia Municipal Audit Court (TCM-BA) has barred the city government of Ribeira do Pombal from paying sertanejo star Gusttavo Lima R$1.5 million in advance for his Oct. 11 concert at the town's 2026 October Festival. According to the newspaper A Tarde, the court found the municipality had not adequately justified the prepayment, which runs against Brazil's New Public Procurement Law (Law 14.133/2021).
In the ruling, the rapporteur found it odd that the justification boiled down to the singer's company refusing to perform without being paid first. The court also cited the artist's record of cancellations in 2026 — including Surubim (PE), Crato (CE) and Avaré (SP) — as grounds for concern over potential losses of public money.
The show itself is still allowed; only the advance-payment arrangement was struck down. A Tarde said it had contacted mayor Eriksson Silva and was awaiting a reply. As of publication, Gusttavo Lima's team had not commented.
