The book “Lampião Mata Sete” was prevented from being released by Aldo Albuquerque, judge of the 7th Civil Court of Aracaju.
The work states that Lampião, Virgulino Ferreira da Silva, better known as the king of cangaço, was gay.
The launch, which was to take place in a bookstore in Aracaju in November last year, had already been suspended. Now the judge supports his decision due to a lawsuit filed by Expedita Ferreira, daughter of the cangaceiro.
Pedro de Morais, author of the book and retired judge, says he will appeal the decision at the Sergipe Court of Justice. According to him, “Aldo is prejudiced”. If his book continues to be censored, Pedro warns that he will throw the remaining copies into the Sergipe River.
Aldo Albuquerque, who never even read the work, defends himself by saying that “the Constitution protects the inviolability of people’s individuality”. For the judge, if the topic only talked about the crimes committed by Lampião, there would be no problem, since this is a public fact. But addressing the cangaceiro’s sexuality cannot be done.
“It would be a blessing for the Northeast if Lampião were homosexual", said Oleone Coelho Fontes, an expert on the king of cangaço and responsible for the book's introduction.
