Supreme Court Justice Flávio Dino overturned a Tribunal Superior Eleitoral ruling on Sunday, September 27, 2026, that had ordered the removal of publicações falsely linking presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro to a defunct proposal regarding the patron saint of Brazil.
The legal clash centers on an online rumor that quickly escalated into the third largest political episode on social media in 2026. Beginning late Thursday, September 24, left-wing accounts circulated claims that Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) supported a legislative effort to strip Our Lady of Aparecida of her title as the patron saint of the country. The rumor drew nearly one million publicações across digital platforms within three days.
The narrative originated from a broadcast on GloboNews’ program Em Pauta, which reported that the Catholic Church was preparing a response to an alleged evangelical mobilization around the project, suggesting it could influence Catholic voters in favor of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Hours later, the network broadcast a correction and an apology, stating that the proposal had actually been introduced in the Chamber of Deputies back in 2007 and archived in 2008.
André Mendonça’s Electoral Court Ruling
Acting on Friday, September 25, TSE Minister André Mendonça ordered platforms including X, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube to purge the posts. Mendonça ruled that the association between the candidate and the purported bill was notoriamente inverídico
, or notoriously untrue, as noted by Clicrbs.
André Mendonça stated that Flavio Nantes Bolsonaro or his family has proposed, articulated, supported, is committed to, or intends to promote the removal of Our Lady of Aparecida from the condition or title of Patroness of Brazil.
The electoral court’s injunction prohibited identical or substantially similar reposts under threat of a daily fine of R$ 30 mil por ato. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro defended himself by accusing his opponent of exploiting religious topics for political gain every four years, while his campaign filed a request for the preventive arrest of George Marques da Silva e Silva, coordenador-geral de Estratégia e Informação da Secretaria de Comunicação Social da Presidência (Secom), for allegedly promoting the false information.
Flávio Dino’s Reversal on Free Expression
The Supreme Court intervention arrived via an appeal filed by comedian Antonio Tabet, whose own post on X had been swept up in Mendonça’s initial order. Tabet’s post featured an image of the patron saint accompanied by text criticizing political figures without naming the senator directly, according to Opera Mundi.
Antonio Tabet told Opera Mundi, the militia family hates Black women so much that they decided to attack Our Lady of Aparecida!
Justice Dino ruled that the initial removal forced the judiciary into two impermissible operations: presuming that the phrase família miliciana
referred specifically to the presidential candidate, and restricting public debate on religious ideas without strict proportionality. Dino emphasized that the posts lacked the clear certainty of illegality required to justify severe restrictions on free speech and religious liberty.
Flavio Dino just struck down André Mendonça's decision, 'preserving freedom of expression and religious freedom for those who defend Our Lady of Aparecida. Antonio
Following the decision, Tabet celebrated the outcome on social media and republished his commentary. Dino’s order requires digital platforms to restore all content removed under the overturned electoral ruling.
Campaign Fallout and Political Strategy
The candidate's campaign coordinator, Rogério Marinho, argued that the Supreme Court was being used to assist President Lula, while the campaign itself released a statement expressing perplexity that electoral oversight functions were being handled outside the electoral justice system.
Meanwhile, behind closed doors, allies of the incumbent president celebrated the development. Campaign strategists evaluated that keeping the episode in circulation could continue to erode support for the conservative candidate among religious voters, as the imagery of Nossa Senhora Aparecida holds profound cultural weight that reaches far beyond regular churchgoers.