Controversial Departure: Brazilian Professor's U.S. Visa Revoked After Shooting Incident

Brazilian professor Carlos Portugal Gouvêa has left the U.S. after firing a BB gun near a synagogue, claiming he was shooting at rats. Though initially not deemed antisemitic, the incident led to his visa revocation. Gouvêa faced legal consequences, but a plea deal reduced charges. He has returned to Brazil.

Brazilian professor Carlos Portugal Gouvêa has left the United States following a controversial BB gun incident near a Brookline synagogue. Officials confirmed that he voluntarily departed the country after his visa was revoked, apparently due to charges of firing the weapon during the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur.

While Homeland Security criticized the act as antisemitic, Temple Beth Zion in Brookline disputed any such motive following the October incident. Gouvêa, who initially pleaded not guilty to multiple misdemeanors and a felony, was left with one misdemeanor charge, fulfilling a plea deal that included restitution and probation.

The professor, associated with the University of São Paulo and previously serving as a visiting law professor at Harvard, returned to Brazil. Celso Fernandes Campilongo, from Gouvêa's university, defended his reputation, emphasizing his commitment to human rights and ties to the Jewish community, amidst criticisms from U.S. officials.