Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday kicked off his re-election campaign with a colorful campaign rally aimed at destroying his conservative credentials while making a decision on the women voters.
In front of thousands of supporters clad in the green and yellow of the Brazilian flag, the far-right leader took to the stage in Rio de Janeiro to demonstrate his faith in God, family and freedom.
“Today we have a president who believes in God; represent the military and police; believe in family,” said Bolsonaro, who was constantly interrupted by the cheers of mito – legendary – from his often affectionate fans.
Despite a warm welcome in Rio, Bolsonaro faces an uphill battle ahead of elections in October. Many polls place him 10 to 15 percentage points ahead of his main rival. I give the president, the left-wing former leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvaalthough the gap seems to be closing.
While Sunday’s event formalized his candidacy for the Liberal party, Bolsonaro was in campaign mode for weeks. Earlier this month, he succeeded in passing a spending package through Congress that will increase monthly cash out Brazil’s poorest 50% by the end of the year.
The move is widely seen as an attempt to garner support in the impoverished northeastern region of the country, where 40% of voters, the vast majority support Lula.
On Sunday, Bolsonaro told the crowd that the additional payments of 600 reais ($110) would continue next year.
“We are changing” Brazil is real and we don’t leave anyone behind,” said Bolsonaro, who was elected in 2018 as a populist who promised to clean up Brazil after a corruption scandal. lasted many years.
Bolsonaro also used the event to focus on female voters – a demographic where he trails Lula by 25 percentage points. Many women don’t like his crude way of speaking and often use illogical language. He famously said: “I have five children. Four were men and then in a moment of weakness, the fifth came out a girl.”
After taking the stage, Bolsonaro quickly handed the microphone to his wife, Michelle, who raved about his husband’s respect for women and claimed he obeyed more laws protecting women than any other president. any other Brazilian president.
She also focuses on the importance of God in a message aimed at Brazil’s growing evangelical community.
The country’s last census was conducted in 2010, but studies show that more than 30% of Brazilians are now evangelical and community – which often takes a hardline stance on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage – are increasing rapidly.
Thomas Traumann, a political analyst based in Rio, said the focus on conservative values - rather than building a grand coalition – will likely be the hallmark of the president’s re-election campaign. system.
“He will talk about women, he will talk about the poor, but he will certainly talk about how all his opponents support abortion and this idea of good and evil. Traumann said.
A former army captain known for his often tenacious language, Bolsonaro on Sunday largely limited his attacks on Lula, claiming only that the leftist leader threatened people’s freedoms. Brazil with plans to regulate traditional and social media.
He also avoided further criticism of Brazil’s electronic voting system, which he has repeatedly asserted, without evidence, to be fraudulent. Last week, the White House was prompted to express public support for Brazil’s electoral system after Bolsonaro repeated fraudulent claims to a group of foreign ambassadors.
Critics fear he is laying the groundwork to protest the election if he loses.
Janette Mota, a nurse from Rio de Janeiro, said she came to the event out of respect for her country: “The left always destroys countries – look at Chile and Argentina. Bolsonaro represents the freedom, faith and goodness of Brazil”.
Werli Ferreira, 75, from the hinterland of Rio de Janeiro state, said she left home at 4 a.m. to go to the launch event because she loved the president.
“He saved our pride in Brazil. He raised the bar for our country.”
Additional reporting by Carolina Ingizza
