A former Brazilian city councilor has caused an uproar after removing a toilet and two sinks from her office bathroom upon leaving her position, New York Post reports.
Janaína Lima, who lost her re-election bid in 2024, returned the items only after facing intense backlash on social media.
Security cameras captured Lima’s staff hauling away the bathroom fixtures after her term ended on January 1
In a post on X, she defended her actions, claiming she had paid for the renovations with her own money when she first took office eight years ago. “I decided to donate the equipment I acquired with my own resources to the chamber,” she said, adding, “Obviously, neither I nor my advisers need a toilet.”
Lima said she had consulted the council’s legal department, which she claimed advised her to take out all items she had personally installed before leaving office. However, her decision to remove bathroom fixtures surprised many, with critics questioning her understanding of ownership.
The controversy gained further traction after Labour Party councillor Adrilles Jorge, who inherited Lima’s office, joked about the situation during his inauguration. “I visited the office and thought the architecture was brilliant. But she took everything out,” Jorge told G1. “They even took out the toilet and the sink. She didn’t say [that she was going to take them out]. And it’s something that neither she would say, nor would I ask.”
Lima said the building’s hydraulics were “sensitive” and claimed she left other items she had bought, like a glass partition and industrial-style light fixtures, for her successor. However, returning the bathroom fixtures hasn’t stopped the public criticism.
Ricardo Teixeira, the new president of the House, has promised that “appropriate measures” will be taken to address the incident.
