Eduardo Costa is ordered to pay R$70,000 to Fernanda Lima for moral damages

Singer Eduardo Costa was sentenced by the 24th Civil Court of the Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro to pay compensation of R$70,000 for moral damages to Fernanda Lima for having published insults against the presenter on social media.

The case happened in November 2018, when Fernanda presented the program “Amor & Sexo”, on TV Globo.

After one of the editions, which ended with a speech by the presenter about women’s fight against stereotypes, the countryman called her an imbecile and said that she led a left-wing program, aimed at criminals and stoners.

A voter of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), newly elected at the time, Costa also stated that the “mamata” would end. “The rope always breaks on the weakest side and today it is the weakest side.”

Days later, the singer apologized to the presenter. “I was in the heat of emotion and said things that I don’t think, that I don’t like to say. I was an asshole, I really was an asshole,” she said. “I regret it, I was unhappy with my words, I even want to apologize to Fernanda, her husband, her children, her fans.”

Costa even offered an agreement, with compensation of R$10,000, but Fernanda refused.

Judge Eric Scapim Cunha Brandão used the CNJ (National Council of Justice) gender protocol, launched in March this year. In the decision, he stated that the singer’s offenses increased the possibility of inciting violent speech against the presenter.

Brandão also said that freedom of expression requires prudence and responsibility.

“The right to express one’s opinion does not dispense with prudence, or admit bad faith, frivolity or irresponsibility, nor is it justified to offend one’s honor for personal reasons on social networks, notably when the author tries to deconstruct the gender violence that affects women in the most diverse ways in today’s society”, he stated.