Gilvan da Federal: The Federal Police Officer Turned Controversial Congressman

Gilvan da Federal, legally named Gilvan Aguiar Costa, has been a federal deputy for Espírito Santo since 2023. A former federal police officer, he rose to prominence within the Liberal Party (PL) for his aggressive rhetoric and currently faces at least ten active legal cases involving hate speech, assaults, and abuse of parliamentary privileges.

Mandate Suspended for Breach of Decorum

On May 6, 2025, the Chamber’s Ethics Council approved, by 15 votes to 4, a three-month precautionary suspension of his mandate. The sanction was applied after Gilvan called licensed deputy Gleisi Hoffmann, then Minister of Institutional Relations, a "damn prostitute" and suggested she was an “adulteress” during a Public Security Committee session.

The rapporteur, deputy Ricardo Maia (MDB-BA), justified the suspension stating that such statements went beyond freedom of speech limits and violated parliamentary decorum. The suspension, initially set for six months, was reduced to three following Gilvan’s apology.

History of Aggressions and Hate Speech

Gilvan faces investigations for crimes including injuria (insult), defamation, and hate speech:

• In 2021, the Espírito Santo Public Prosecutor’s Office charged him with religious racism after he insulted an Afro-Brazilian religious ceremony in Vitória, using derogatory terms such as “macumba.”

• In 2022, he made homophobic attacks against trans activist Deborah Sarará, stating she was not a woman “because God made man and woman, the rest are all crocodiles” — which resulted in a police report.

• In April 2025, during a session at the Chamber, he nearly came to blows with deputy Lindbergh Farias (PT), requiring intervention by the legislative police.

Other Ongoing Charges

Besides the decorum case, Gilvan faces:

• A Public Prosecutor’s Office indictment for calling former president Lula a “thief” and “ex-convict” during a pro-gun event — a slander and defamation case sent to the Supreme Federal Court (STF).

• Several other cases related to offensive speeches against women, LGBTQIA+ people, and Afro-Brazilian religions.

Why This Matters

Gilvan da Federal’s trajectory exposes troubling trends:

1. The erosion of parliamentary decorum through repeated verbal assaults;

2. The legitimization of hate speech from the legislative floor;

3. Institutional failure to curb mandates built on violent discourse, despite the recent suspension — the first of its kind by the Chamber’s Board.

Conclusion

Gilvan da Federal represents an emerging type of politician in Congress: incendiary, aggressive, and shielded by political networks that overlook ethical violations. The punishment imposed should serve as a warning, but without systemic reforms, hate speech will continue to enjoy privileged status.

📚 Sources

• “Conheça os dois deputados federais campeões em processo na Justiça” – Congresso em Foco

• “Deputado Gilvan da Federal tem mandato suspenso por três meses” – Agência Brasil

• “PGR denuncia deputado Gilvan da Federal por chamar Lula de ‘ladrão’” – Congresso em Foco

• “Gilvan da Federal volta a protagonizar escândalo na Câmara: histórico de agressões marcam mandato” – ES Hoje