Was Luísa Sonza 'censored' by Brazil's electoral court? No: a complaint seeking a R$100,000 fine per show was thrown out without a ruling on the merits — explained

The confusion goes back to Luísa Sonza's show at the Tropicadelia festival in Londrina, Paraná, on September 26, when the singer voiced support for President Lula. Lucas Pavanato (PL), then a candidate for federal deputy in São Paulo, filed a complaint with the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) alleging a 'showmício', a campaign rally disguised as a concert, which electoral law prohibits. He asked that she be barred from asking for votes at shows until the end of the 2026 elections, that the videos' circulation be limited and that each new episode carry a R$100,000 fine.

On October 1, Justice André Mendonça, the case's rapporteur, dismissed the complaint without examining the merits. The reason was procedural: under the court's case law, the complainant must be tied to the same electoral district as the contested race, and Pavanato was running for a state-level seat while the alleged propaganda concerned the nationwide presidential election.

In practice, none of the requests were granted: there is no ban on political statements, no restriction on her shows, no fine and no removal of videos. On the other hand, the TSE did not declare the remarks lawful either — it simply never ruled on them. Even so, posts this week began claiming the singer had been 'censored', which Terra, Uai and Vagalume debunked based on the decision itself.