A Brazilian court has ordered São Paulo's vice-governor, Felício Ramuth (MDB), to pay damages to the Workers' Party (PT) over remarks that linked the party to drug trafficking, Folha de S.Paulo reported on Tuesday (25) in its Painel column. The ruling can still be appealed.

The comments were made in January during an official event. Commenting on the crisis in Venezuela, Ramuth called the PT a "narcoafetivo" party, a coined word in Portuguese mixing "narco" and "afetivo" (affective) that suggests an affinity between the party and organized crime. According to O Globo and CNN Brasil, the remark came as the vice-governor commented on the arrest of Nicolás Maduro.

Days later, Ramuth reaffirmed the statement and the PT announced it would sue him, as Jovem Pan reported at the time.

Ramuth is the deputy of Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos), who is seeking reelection in São Paulo in this year's elections. The ruling comes in the middle of the campaign, with the PT also competing in the state race.

Folha's column did not disclose the amount of the damages or the court that issued the sentence.