Nikolas Ferreira and Ana Castela in photo before show

The image of the congressman alongside the singer became a focus after the payment of R$ 850,000 for a concert in the countryside of Rio de Janeiro was confirmed

A photo of Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) alongside singer Ana Castela was published on the lawmaker's social media during the Barretos Cowboy Festival. The record gained national attention because, a few days later, the artist received R$ 850,000 in parliamentary amendment funds for a concert in São Fidélis, Rio de Janeiro.

What motivated the sharing of the image

The publication showed the singer making the "22" gesture, an allusion to the PL's ballot number, and was shared right after the confirmation of the fund payment. The association between the congressman and the artist began to be analyzed in light of the allocation of federal resources for the event.

Amendment that funds the show

Federal Congresswoman Dani Cunha (PL-RJ), daughter of Eduardo Cunha, allocated R$ 1 million to the tourism category through an amendment from the Chamber's Tourism Commission. Of this total, R$ 850,000 was allocated for the fee of Ana Castela, who will perform at Expo São Fidélis this Thursday.

Details of the event in São Fidélis

The concert is part of the free schedule of the municipality's 14th agricultural exhibition, which will also feature performances by Tiee, Maiza Lima, Junior and Gustavo, in addition to the sertanejo duo Antony and Gabriel, who received R$ 200,000 from the same funds. The city hall estimates an audience of four thousand people for Ana Castela's performance, while the average daily attendance expected for the festival is two thousand.

Reaction of Congresswoman Dani Cunha

Dani Cunha stated that the choice of the municipality was made by her and that the application of the amendment is up to the mayor. In an interview, the lawmaker said: "I fulfilled my role as a congresswoman by sending amendments to municipalities" and criticized the "criminalization of amendments," pointing out the economic impact for small towns.

Political context of those involved

Nikolas Ferreira, elected federal congressman for Minas Gerais, took part in the photo during the cowboy festival. Ana Castela, who calls herself "boiadeira" (cowgirl), had previously been associated with Jair Bolsonaro in 2022, but stated that she does not take political stances. Congresswoman Dani Cunha, who is seeking re-election, is the daughter of former congressman Eduardo Cunha, whose mandate was revoked in 2016.

With information from O GLOBO, CartaCapital, Correio Braziliense.