Millionaire Fees of Country Singers Spark Debate about Official Funding for Culture
Singer Gusttavo Lima is at the center of three investigations by the Public Ministry and has already had a show canceled for embezzlement
Singer Zé Neto, from the duo with Cristiano, could hardly imagine that, when criticizing a tattoo on Anitta’s anus a few weeks ago, he would end up bringing to public scrutiny the millions of reais paid by city governments throughout Brazil for the performances of country singers.
Since then, the episode has led to important revelations about the use of public funds in sertanejo mega-events. Last week, it was revealed that the Municipality of Conceição do Mato Dentro, a small town in Minas Gerais, was to pay Gusttavo Lima a fee of more than R$ 1 million, with a sum that should only be allocated to health, education, environment and infrastructure.
After the repercussion, the city government went back and canceled the singer's payment, who is now in the midst of new investigations involving other cities in the country.
Singer Gusttavo Lima took to Instagram to complain about persecution. In a live this Monday, he cried and asked his fans to pray for him. "It's very sad to be a scoundrel, treated as if you were a criminal. Here there is a human being, a family man. Nobody here is a criminal," he said.
What, then, is the difference between a show paid for by the municipal administration and one financed by Rouanet? The Rouanet fee for an artist cannot exceed R$ 3,000, which was previously R$ 45,000, but was reduced during the Bolsonaro government. There is no limit via city governments.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon