Natália do Júnior Garimpeiro elected Maranhão’s youngest state lawmaker

Natália do Júnior Garimpeiro, whose name is Natália Silva Melo, was elected to Maranhão’s state legislature at age 21.

She received 32,486 votes, with support from former president José Sarney.

Her political mentor, the mayor of Centro Novo do Maranhão, has been detained twice and faces allegations of irregularities, which his defense has denied.

The result makes her the youngest state lawmaker in the country for the next term.