Brazil: Supreme Court Judge Allows Massive Religious Acts

Brazil's Federal Supreme Court Judge Kassio Nunes on Saturday authorized the holding of religious acts in churches and temples, arguing the right of people to practice their beliefs.

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Religious activity is an "essential" service in "such difficult times," said the Nunes, who was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Jair Bolsonaro.

Previously, religious celebrations had been banned by some subnational governments, which set epidemiological norms to encourage social distancing and restrict mobility. In the absence of coherent national policies to stop the pandemic, Belo Horizonte Mayor Alexandre Kalil warned that the capital of the state of Minas Gerais would maintain the ban on massive acts.

"What counts is the mayor's decree. Face-to-face cults and masses are banned here," he tweeted explicitly rejecting the right-wing judge's decision.

Meanwhile, Captain Bolsonaro vowed that the "war" waged against governors and mayors "is not political" but "for the future of the nation".

Jonas Donizette, the president of the National Front of Mayors, asked the Supreme Court President Luiz Fux to rule on the decision adopted by Nunes and to guide on what rule should be followed.

"Do we follow the decision of the Court plenary that determined that municipalities have the prerogative to establish the opening or closing of activities in their territories or not?" asked Donizette.