> I've heard of groups of people in the Southeast talk about how the mentality of the people in the Northeast is different
Being born in the capital and lived in the Northeast for 3 decades, I can attest that the mentality is indeed different.
For instance: the biggest A-holes usually come from the Southeast. See what I did there? I have many examples to back this up, but they prove nothing. Generalizations are harmful.
This is just a stupid judge overstepping his authority. If anything, that's judge mentality for you.
Instead of "hearing from groups of people", catch a plane and see for yourself. I bet some of your beliefs are going to change.
Caption for non Brazilians: there's this prejudice from people from the Southeast against people from the Northeast. Some of it is historical, as the Northeast suffered for centuries with severe drought (California's current situation is better than their best case, no mountains storing ice). So, people would migrate to the Southeast, in search of jobs. Usually poor, uneducated people.
Since then, the Northeast has developed and, while the drought is still a problem, most people are in cities now. Still, the stereotype persists, specially among the elitist in the South/Southeast.