Nikolas Ferreira

This article is about the politician. For the fencer, see Nicolas Ferreira.

• PSL (2018–2020)
• PRTB (2020–2022)

Nikolas Ferreira
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 February 2023
Spouse	Lívia Orletti ​ (m. 2023)​
Alma mater	Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (LL.B.)

Nikolas Ferreira de Oliveira (born Belo Horizonte, Brazil in 1996) is a Brazilian politician affiliated to the Liberal Party (PL). Currently serving as Member of the Chamber of Deputies, he was elected for a 4-year term in 2022, being the most voted Member of the Chamber of Deputies in the 2022 Brazilian general election, with almost 1,5 million votes, and the most voted in Minas Gerais history for that office. ^{[1] [2]} Formerly, he was elected Councillor of Belo Horizonte, in 2020, the second most voted candidate after Duda Salabert. ^[3]

He describes himself as a "right-wing Christian, gun enthusiast, and family defender", and is considered one of the most influential politicians on social media in Brazil. ^{[4] [5]} Ferreira has gained national notoriety due to the controversies he has been involved in, including defending negationist ideas, ^[6] opposing measures against the Covid-19 pandemic, giving speeches that are both transphobic ^[7] and discriminatory, spreading fake news, and supporting and encouraging coup demonstrations ^[8] as well as the attacks on the headquarters of the Three Powers in 2023. ^[9]

Transphobic statements and conviction

While wearing a blond wig, Nikolas asked to be called "Nikole".

Following his election as a councilor, Nikolas intentionally misgendered Duda Salabert, a transgender councilor in Belo Horizonte. ^{[10] [11]} Following this, Salabert filed a criminal complaint against him. ^{[12] [13]} There is no explicit criminal classification for transphobia and homophobia in Brazil, but the Supreme Federal Court decided in 2019 that they are crimes under the Law of Racism. ^[14] In April 2023, Nikolas Ferreira was convicted, in first and second instance, and made to pay a compensation of R$ 80,000 for moral damages against Duda Salabert. ^{[15] [16]}

On March 8, 2023, International Women's Day, while serving as a federal congressman, Nikolas delivered a speech at the Chamber of Deputies podium with transphobic and anti-feminist statements. In addition to mocking trans women by wearing a blonde wig and asking to be called by the name "Nikole", ^[17] he stated that "women are losing their space to men who feel like women". The President of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, wrote a public reprimand on social media after the statements, stating that the Chamber of Deputies is not a space for discriminatory speeches. ^{[18] [19] [20]} Federal congresswoman Erika Hilton, who is a trans woman, presented a petition in favor of revoking Nikolas' mandate, which collected 150,000 signatures within 24 hours. ^{[21] [22]} Three criminal complaints were filed by civil society organizations and a group of federal congressmen to the Supreme Federal Court after the statements. ^[23] On the other hand, Nikolas received support from other far-right politicians, such as Eduardo Bolsonaro, who classified his behavior as excellent, as well as Valdemar Costa Neto, the president of Nikolas' party, who publicly defended him on social media. ^{[24] [25]} Nikolas' stance was associated with the growth of transphobic proposals in the federal, state, and municipal legislative bodies. ^[26]

References

1. "Quem é Nikolas Ferreira, deputado que criticou o feminismo em discurso na Câmara no Dia das Mulheres". Estadão (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-03-10.
2. Minas, Estado de (2022-10-02). "Nikolas Ferreira o deputado federal mais votado da história de Minas". Estado de Minas (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-03-10.
3. Minas, Estado de (2020-11-15). "segundo vereador mais votado de BH, Nikolas Ferreira chama Duda Salabert de homem: 'é isso que está na certidão'". Estado de Minas (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-03-10.
4. Liana Coll (8 September 2022). "Extrema direita domina o campo conservador, aponta cientista política". Unicamp. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
5. Gabriela Rölke (7 October 2022). "Quem é Nikolas Ferreira, jovem mineiro bolsonarista, conservador e negacionista na pandemia". ISTOÉ Independente. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
6. "Quem é Nikolas Ferreira, jovem mineiro bolsonarista, conservador e negacionista na pandemia". ISTOÉ Independente (in Portuguese). 7 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
7. "Brazilian Deputy Nikolas Ferreira Faces Suspension of Social Media Accounts Over Transphobic Speech". BNN.NEWSROOM. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
8. "Zambelli, Nikolas e Silveira incitam golpe de Estado". Metrópoles (in Portuguese). 1 November 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
9. Pilar, Ana Flávia. "Relembre oito polêmicas do deputado Nikolas Ferreira, além do discurso transfóbico no Dia da Mulher". O Globo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 March 2023.
10. Cecília Emiliana (15 November 2020). "2º vereador mais votado de BH, Nikolas Ferreira chama Duda Salabert de homem: 'É isso que está na certidão'". Estado de Minas. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
11. Marco Faleiro (20 November 2020). "Duda Salabert diz que parabenizou Nikolas Ferreira: 'Brigas serão entre ideias, não entre pessoas'". Estado de Minas. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
12. Minas, Estado de (2021-12-22). "Queixa-crime de Duda Salabert impede porte de armas de Nikolas Ferreira". Estado de Minas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-05-25.
13. "Nikolas Ferreira responderá por injúria racial após desrespeitar pronome de Duda Salabert". CartaCapital (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
14. Pinotti, Fernanda. "Transfobia é crime?". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-05-25.
15. Minas, Estado de (2023-04-30). "Justiça nega recurso de Nikolas Ferreira em processo contra Duda Salabert". Estado de Minas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-05-25.
16. "Nikolas Ferreira é condenado por transfobia contra Duda Salabert e terá que pagar indenização de R$ 80 mil". O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
17. "Nikolas Ferreira põe peruca, diz que é deputada 'Nikole' e prega contra feminismo no Dia da Mulher". Terra. 9 March 2023.
18. Ramiro Brites (8 March 2023). "Lira repreende deputado que atacou mulheres trans na tribuna". VEJA.
19. "Lira diz que Câmara não é palco para preconceito e faz reprimenda após fala transfóbica de Nikolas Ferreira". G1. 8 March 2023.
20. Levy Teles (8 March 2023). "Arthur Lira repreende discurso de Nikolas Ferreira: 'Plenário não é palco para exibicionismo'". Estadão.
21. Tempo, O. (9 March 2023). "Abaixo-assinado pede cassação do mandato do deputado Nikolas Ferreira | O TEMPO". www.otempo.com.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 10 March 2023.
22. "Petição por cassação de Nikolas supera 150 mil assinaturas em 24h | Metrópoles". www.metropoles.com (in Portuguese). 10 March 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
23. "André Mendonça será relator de ações contra Nikolas Ferreira no STF | Metrópoles". www.metropoles.com (in Portuguese). 10 March 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
24. "Nikolas Ferreira tem 'qualidades' e conta com nosso apoio, diz presidente do PL". CartaCapital (in Portuguese). 10 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
25. PODER360 (9 March 2023). "Excelente, diz Eduardo Bolsonaro sobre fala de Nikolas Ferreira". Poder360 (in Portuguese). Retrieved 10 March 2023.
26. "Brasil tem um novo projeto de lei antitrans por dia, e 'efeito Nikolas' preocupa". Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). 20 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.

External links

• Media related to Nikolas Ferreira at Wikimedia Commons

Chamber of Deputies (Brazil)
Preceded by Moses Rodrigues	Chair of the Education Commission 2024–present	Incumbent