Ratinho will face legal action for inciting homophobia on SBT

TV host Carlos Massa, known as Ratinho, will be sued in Federal Court on charges of inciting homophobia, after comments made on his program on SBT, F5 reported. The decision was made by the 2nd Criminal Court of Osasco (SP), which accepted the opinion of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of São Paulo (MP-SP), but transferred the case to Federal Court. The complaint was filed by activist Agripino Magalhães.

The case began on June 26, 2023, when Ratinho, during a live broadcast, criticized the holding of the Gay Pride Parade on Paulista Avenue, in São Paulo. In his speech, the presenter stated that the event should take place in another location, suggesting the Sambadrome, and referred to the Parade as “a carnival for gays and lesbians”, arguing that Paulista Avenue should be reserved “for families”.

Ratinho’s statements caused a stir and led to a police investigation being opened. In a statement given on March 22, 2024, the presenter stated that he had no intention of offending anyone and that he was simply expressing his personal opinion about the location of the event, citing the proximity of hospitals in the Paulista region as one of his concerns. He said he was surprised to have to answer for his statements in court.

According to Brazilian law, cases of homophobia are considered equivalent to the crime of racism and, therefore, are tried in federal courts, with sentences ranging from one to three years in prison. There is still no date set for Ratinho’s trial. When contacted to comment on the court decision, the presenter, through his press office, said that he would not comment on cases currently underway in court.