A former city councilor, Janaína Lima, in Brazil has returned a toilet and two sinks she had removed from her office after losing her bid for re-election, sparking widespread backlash on social media.
Footage surfaced of an employee of Janaína Lima, a former Sao Paulo councilwoman, hauling away the bathroom fixtures as her term ended. Lima later clarified on X, formerly Twitter, that she had personally funded the renovations during her eight-year tenure and was following legal guidance to remove personal items.
“I decided to donate the equipment I acquired with my own resources to the chamber,” Lima wrote, adding, “Obviously, neither I nor my advisers need a toilet.”
CCTV footage captured the removal of the facilities, which were installed when Lima first assumed office. She stated the renovations were paid for with her own money and did not constitute council property.
Lima said other personal installations, including a glass partition and industrial-style light fixtures, were left for her successor. She also noted the building’s hydraulics were “sensitive” and required special care.
Her successor, Adrilles Jorge of the Brazilian Labour Party, who won her seat in the 2024 elections, joked about the situation during his inauguration. “We’ll use a communal potty until this is resolved,” Jorge told Brazilian media outlet G1.
“I visited the office and thought the architecture was brilliant. But she took everything out. They even took out the toilet and the sink,” Jorge said.
Ricardo Teixeira, the new president of the Sao Paulo City Council, said “appropriate measures” would be taken regarding the matter.
