In a significant legal development, Brazil's Superior Tribunal de Justiça (STJ) has denied a habeas corpus petition filed by the defense of Ademar Farias Cardoso Neto. He is the brother of Djidja Cardoso, the former 'sinhazinha' of the Boi Garantido festival group, whose death in Manaus in 2024 sparked a major national investigation.
The defense argued that Ademar's preventive detention, which has been in place since 2024, constituted an illegal excess of time. They requested his release or a substitution of the measure with alternative precautionary measures. Ademar faces charges of drug trafficking and criminal association in a case that probes the use and distribution of ketamine, a substance also known as cetamine with veterinary applications.
The investigation into these drug-related offenses was launched following the death of Djidja Cardoso. Her case captured national attention due to its complex mix of elements involving drugs, religion, and serious crimes. The STJ's decision came less than two months after a state-level court in Amazonas had also rejected similar bail requests for Ademar and his mother, Cleusimar de Jesus Cardoso.
In his ruling, Minister Sebastião Reis Júnior stated that a preliminary analysis did not reveal sufficient grounds for the suspect's immediate release. He noted that the Amazonas state court had identified concrete reasons to maintain the preventive detention, including the gravity of the alleged conduct, the structured nature of the criminal group, and the need to ensure public order.
The minister also dismissed the argument of excessive delay in the proceedings. He pointed to the complexity of the case, the number of defendants involved, and the overall progress of the criminal action as justifying the timeline. With the petition denied, the STJ has requested updated information from the lower court and the state tribunal regarding the case's status.
Djidja Cardoso was a beloved figure in Brazilian folk culture. As the 'sinhazinha' for the Boi Garantido from 2016 to 2020, she enchanted audiences at the Festival of Parintins, portraying the daughter of the farm owner in the traditional performance. She was found dead at her home in Manaus on May 28, 2024, at the age of 32.
Prior to her death, Djidja had publicly shared her struggles with depression. On her 32nd birthday in February 2024, she posted a video thanking friends and family and mentioning her recovery from the illness. The legal proceedings against her brother will now continue, with the case awaiting further review by the Federal Public Ministry before a final judgment on the merits.
Based on reporting from g1.