Brazil’s president felt provoked by the YouTuber and became violent.
(Photo: TV GLOBO via REUTERS)
Sao Paulo Brazilians know that Jair Bolsonaro has mastered the art of communication on social networks better than his political opponents. But the mood on the internet is turning against him more and more often. Now the Brazilian president has lost his temper.
During a campaign event in front of his residence in the capital, Brasília, he attacked the influencer Wilker Leão. A video published by the Brazilian news portal “G1” on Thursday shows how Bolsonaro first takes selfies with his supporters. Then the Youtuber started asking him critical questions and filmed him doing it.
A little later, the young man was thrown to the ground by a supporter of Bolsonaro, whereupon the YouTuber who was attacked described the president as a “favorite of political backwoodsmen” and “vagrants”.
Bolsonaro, who had already gotten into his car in the meantime, came out of his car in a rage. Then he shouted: “Come here, I want to talk to you!” Leão grabbed his t-shirt and tried to take his mobile phone away. Security forces then dragged Leão away.
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A journalist from news website G1 filmed the incident. Bolsonaro shouted at his supporters: “Don’t film this! Don’t film that! – It is his right to protest, but he was rude.”
A few minutes later, security forces allowed Leão to return and discuss politics with Bolsonaro. “You can talk to me as much as you want,” said Bolsonaro, who had met Leão on previous occasions. The conversation finally lasted about five minutes, then Bolsonaro drove away.
The staunch right-wing president is known for outbursts of temper. In 2020 he threatened a journalist with a beating, and at another time Bolsonaro said he would prefer to shoot supporters of the left-wing Workers’ Party.
In Brazil, the election campaign officially began around a month and a half before the presidential election. Incumbent President Bolsonaro and former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are the favourites.
According to polls, left challenger Lula da Silva is well ahead of Bolsonaro. Accordingly, 44 percent of those surveyed would vote for Lula, the right-wing populist Bolsonaro would only get 32 percent.
Brazil will elect a new head of state on October 2nd. Bolsonaro has questioned Brazil’s electronic voting system in the past, making unsubstantiated claims of fraud in the 2018 election. With this, Bolsonaro has fueled fears that he might not accept the outcome of the elections. Brazil had invited a European Union observer team to attend the elections in May.
More: Election campaign in Brazil – Jair Bolsonaro makes Donald Trump