A Brazilian influencer blames the “macumba” for the climate tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul. The deputy accuses her of religious intolerance.

Brazilian influencer Michel Díaz Abreu has been accused of religious intolerance by the Minais Gerais Public Ministry after linking the practice of African rituals to the climate tragedy in Brazil, the portal reports. G1.

A Brazilian woman shared a video on social networks in which she stated that the floods in Rio Grande do Sul, which have already killed more than 150 people and left 540,000 homeless, were the result of the “wrath of God” due to the number of rituals there practiced “macumba”.

“The State of Rio Grande do Sul is the state with the largest number of Macumba temples. Some prophets have already declared that something will happen because of the wrath of God. They mixed the sacred with the profane. People were joking. God does not share his honor with anyone,” said Michel Diaz Abreu.

The video went viral on social media and received over three million views.

The public ministry of Minas Gerais, the state where the digital content creator lives, accused Michele of committing a crime of religious intolerance and of inciting thousands of people to “discrimination, prejudice and intolerance against religions of African origin.”

The woman is prohibited from leaving Brazil without permission, as well as publishing new publications about religion or false content about the floods that hit Rio Grande do Sul.

Religious intolerance is considered a crime in Brazil. In 2023, Brazilian President Lula da Silva increased penalties for these crimes. The law currently provides penalties of two to five years in prison for anyone who prevents or uses violence against religious demonstrations and practices. This is the same punishment for racially motivated crimes in this South American country.