Salvador Council Approves Bill Targeting 'Cristofobia' at Carnival

Overview

• City councilors approved PL 28/2025 on Sept. 24, a proposal authored by vereador Cezar Leite (PL).
• The text permanently bans the use of Christian images and symbols in sensual or disrespectful ways at Carnival and other public festivities, including costumes of Jesus or nuns with sexualized connotations.
• Entities, event organizers, and identified individuals who violate the rules would face administrative fines of three minimum wages, doubled for repeat offenses, with proceeds directed to educational and awareness programs.
• The proposal forbids municipal contracting with public funds of artists or entities judicially convicted of religious intolerance, specifically cases of cristofobia.
• If sanctioned, the executive must regulate enforcement, including monitoring, complaint channels, training, interfaith initiatives, a database of cases, and commissioned research.