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See The Unusual Laws That Have Existed In Brazil, Including Watermelon Ban, Fine For Ant Hills, Ban On Miniskirts, And Even Airport Project For Aliens.
Brazil collects such improbable stories that, if they weren’t recorded in the legislation of various cities, they could be mistaken for urban legends. From forbidden fruits to airports for aliens, these unusual laws show how public decisions can take unexpected paths — and sometimes, completely disconnected from reason.
Next, we revisit five examples that reveal how creativity, fear, and even morality have shaped municipal rules from north to south of the country.
Know The 5 Most Unusual Laws That Have Existed In Brazil
1. The Watermelon That Became Suspected Of Sanitary Crime
In 1984, residents of Rio Claro (SP) faced a rule that today seems straight out of a comedy script.
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The city banned the sale of watermelon because authorities believed the fruit transmitted diseases like yellow fever and typhus.
As the climate of fear was strong, the fruit became a target of suspicion — and, officially, it was treated as a health threat.
The ban did not withstand the test of time, but it left a clear message: when scientific information is lacking, unusual laws can turn even a common food into a villain.
2. The Miniskirt That Became A Symbol Of Female Resistance
In 2007, the city of Aparecida (SP) made national headlines when then-mayor José Luiz Rodrigues, known as Zé Louquinho, sanctioned a law prohibiting the use of miniskirts.
The population reacted immediately, and many women began to purposely wear short skirts as a form of protest.
The rule fell shortly after, but it made the list of unusual laws that tried to dictate female behavior — and encountered resistance of equal measure.
3. Mato Grosso And The “Port” For Alien Spaceships
Back in 1995, Barra do Garças (MT) decided to fully embrace its reputation related to UFO stories. The Chamber approved the creation of an “intergalactic airport,” nicknamed Discoporto.
The project even had a reserved area, but it never materialized.
Even so, it became part of national political folklore and, of course, one of the most talked-about unusual laws to this day.
4. Ant Hills Transformed Into Municipal Offense
Almost two decades earlier, still in Rio Claro, another bizarre episode marked the city. In 1965, any resident with an ant hill in their yard could be fined.
The penalty was 2.5% of the minimum wage, as if the emergence of insects was always the owner’s fault.
The rule treated an urban problem as the exclusive responsibility of the population, ignoring environmental and structural factors.
Later, it became clear that pest control required public management — and not just charges to the citizen.
5. When The Mayor Wanted To Decide On The Intimate Life Of The Population
In 1997, Bocaiúva do Sul (PR) experienced a rather tumultuous day. Concerned about the city’s population decline, the mayor decided to ban the sale of contraceptives and condoms.
The rule lasted only 24 hours, but it was long enough to cause outrage and raise debates about bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.
The episode became a classic example of how public policies can violate citizens’ privacy when they are based on arbitrary controls — and not on real solutions.
When The “Absurd” Becomes Official Document
These unusual laws show that public power does not always walk hand in hand with common sense.
Whether due to a lack of information or disconnection from reality, various Brazilian cities have served as a stage for norms that seemed to solve problems — but ended up revealing caricatured situations.
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