No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeBrazilFugitive selfie-loving Brazilian mayor surrenders

Fugitive selfie-loving Brazilian mayor surrenders

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil —  A 25-year-old Brazilian mayor who reveled in posting glamorous pictures of herself on social media and who is suspected of embezzling from the town coffers has surrendered after vanishing for more than a month.

Police responsible for the town of Bom Jardim in the far northeastern state of Maranhão confirmed to AFP reports that Lidiane Leite had turned herself in.

Leite shot to local fame after her boyfriend, farmer Beto Rocha, ran for mayor in 2012, but stepped aside amid corruption allegations.

Leite took over and won in 2013, then quickly became known more for showing off her high-rolling lifestyle than for helping the town of approximately 40,000 in the impoverished region.

Social media selfies and other shots of Leite showed her posing in tight tank tops, low-cut dresses and heavy jewelery as she partied or vacationed.

The pictures included her drinking champagne and appearing in expensive cars, earning her the tag in Brazilian media of “Mayor Showoff.”

On August 20, after prosecutors accused Leite of involvement in the embezzlement of town school funds, she went on the run, only turning herself in on Monday, 39 days later, in the regional capital São Luis. Video on Globo news site showed her entering the police station in an unusually plain all-black outfit.

According to Brazilian media reports, the school fraud and other corruption could involve a total of 15 million reais ($3.6 million).

Trending Now

Costa Rica to Require Orange Uniforms at New Maximum-Security Prison

Costa Rica will require inmates at its new maximum-security prison to wear orange uniforms, bringing back a practice the country has not used in...

Costa Rica Sends Rescue Mission to Venezuela After Devastating Earthquakes

Costa Rica has sent a rescue and humanitarian mission to Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes left widespread damage, collapsed buildings and an urgent need...

Latin American Players Bring New Grass-Court Momentum Into Wimbledon

Francisco Cerúndolo has given Latin American tennis its clearest grass-court statement of the summer, turning a historic Queen’s Club title into a broader Wimbledon...

U.S. Lawmakers Urge Release of Salvadoran Lawyer Ruth López

Nine Democratic members of the U.S. Congress sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking him to press for the immediate release...

Costa Rica Reviews PriceSmart Site After Archaeological Material Found

Work at a PriceSmart construction site in Santo Domingo de Heredia could be temporarily stopped after archaeological material was found during earth movement, prompting...

Costa Rica Carries Out Second Mass Deportation Flight

Costa Rica carried out its second mass aerial deportation of foreign nationals today, sending 26 people to Colombia and Ecuador in an operation...

Costa Rica Rescue Team Celebrates Miracle Survival in Venezuela Quake Zone

A Venezuelan security guard found alive by Costa Rican rescuers after last week’s deadly earthquakes has been pulled from the rubble after eight days...

World Cup 2026 Exposes Soccer Gap for Central America and the Caribbean

The teams from Central America and the Caribbean have managed just one draw at the 2026 World Cup, another failure for a region that...

Costa Rica Warns Wildlife Trafficking Is Becoming Organized Crime

Costa Rica’s environmental prosecutors are warning that wildlife trafficking is no longer just a scattered problem of people capturing animals for pets or private...
🌴 The Weekly Pura Vida

Costa Rica, Once a Week

The week's top stories, weather & insider tips — delivered every Sunday. One email, zero clutter.

🔒 Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel