Juliana Maria Teixeira da Costa, deputy mayor removed from Ribeira (SP) after being denounced for alleged embezzlement of public money for a "love affair", died at the age of 43 in a car accident while on her way to an electoral campaign for a candidate for state deputy. The accident happened on Rodovia SP-250, in the Ribeira region.
Juliana was born on February 3, 1983, in Jaguariaíva (PR). She was divorced, mother of two children and graduated in Social Work. Despite being born in Paraná, he built his professional and political career in Vale do Ribeira.
On social media, Juliana said that she entered politics inspired by her father, who had also been Secretary of Health and vice-mayor of Itapirapuã Paulista (SP).
Juliana was the first woman elected vice-mayor of Ribeira. She was part of Mayor Ari do Carmo Santos (PSD), re-elected in 2024 with 45% of valid votes. Before taking on the role of vice-mayor, Juliana had been Secretary of Health and head of Cabinet in Ari's first government, between 2020 and 2024.
Her political trajectory gained repercussions after Juliana was removed from her positions as vice-mayor and secretary of Health. The removal occurred after a complaint from the Public Ministry of São Paulo (MP-SP) involving suspicions of fraud in tenders and the alleged diversion of R$41,200 from public coffers to pay for a "love affair".
Juliana was driving the car with three other women and was heading to an electoral campaign when she noticed a problem with the brakes, according to g1 administrative assistant Lara Monique Coutinho, 25 years old, one of the survivors. Lara was in the front seat and said she put on her seat belt after Juliana warned her about the error.
The group had left a bakery in the central region of Ribeira at around 9 am and headed towards the Saltinho neighborhood. According to Lara, Juliana tried to reduce speed and use the electronic handbrake, but lost control of the vehicle.
The car left the road, fell approximately 50 meters down a bank and overturned. Juliana was thrown from the car and died. Lara and another passenger suffered minor injuries, while the administrative assistant's sister dislocated her collarbone and had to be removed from the scene with the help of ropes.
Juliana was denounced by the Public Ministry of São Paulo for criminal association and embezzlement, a crime against public administration. In addition to her, the municipal health coordinator and nursing technician Lauro Olegário da Silva Filho and William Felipe da Silva, owner of W.F. Da Silva Trainings, a company hired by the city hall to provide services, were also denounced.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, Juliana would have embezzled R$41,200 from public coffers to pay for an alleged "love affair". The objective, according to the MP-SP, would be to separate Lauro from his wife and establish an emotional relationship with him.
According to the complaint, the money intended for the mother of saint would have been passed on through W.F. Da Silva Trainings. The case also involved suspected irregularities in contracts signed between the company and Ribeira City Hall.
The Court ordered the suspension of trading contracts on suspicion of fraud between the city hall and W.F. Da Silva Trainings. It also prohibited the municipality from signing new agreements with the company until a new court order.
