RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Together with five female deputies of political party PSL, federal Deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro on Tuesday echoed insults made by his father, Jair Bolsonaro, against reporter Patrícia Campos Mello from “Folha de S. Paulo“.
Eduardo took the floor after other legislators demonstrated against the president’s statements. Calling them “scum” for trying to “impose political correctness”, the deputy also offered a “banana” to the female deputies and urged them to “shave their armpits, otherwise, it will give off a hell of a stink”.
In the morning, the President implied that the reporter had suggested sexual intercourse in exchange for “a scoop”. Bolsonaro indirectly referred to a statement by a WhatsApp mass messaging service company ex-employee Hans River. At the Fake News Inquiry Committee (CPI), he tried to discredit Patricia by making this allegation. The reporter denied the charges by publishing the messages exchanged between the two in 2018.
Eduardo spoke from the rostrum next to Deputies Caroline de Toni, Major Fabiana, Bia Kicis, Chris Tonietto, and Soraya Manato.
“This here (speaking of the female deputies) is nothing more than political discourse. This here is the imposition of political correctness to try to silence President Jair Bolsonaro,” said Eduardo.
Earlier, PSOL leader Fernanda Melchionna had read a note of repudiation signed by female legislators against Jair Bolsonaro’s insults. According to her, the president’s remarks were guided by misogyny and represented an attack on the freedom of the press.
“We speak on behalf of Brazilian women disrespected by a male chauvinist president who attacks the freedom of the press and disrespects all Brazilian women,” she said.
Eduardo Bolsonaro retorted and also attacked the Workers’ Party (PT):
“That kind of speech is also outrageous. The deputy says she speaks on behalf of all women. Wait a minute, are there no women here with me? In the name of women, a banana! I wanted to know where they were when Lula talked about hardcore women. Where were you? They were stealing money,” said the deputy, referring to the publicly released wiretap in which the ex-president used the term.
In the open floor session, PT president Gleisi Hoffmann and Major Fabiana even exchanged shoves. Eduardo then addressed the deputy.
“The deputy said that her husband had already been arrested. Democracy is only good when they want to say what they wish. Your husband has really been arrested, right? She’s a thief. The mistress is speaking in my ear. Tell her to hold on a bit.”
The president’s son also asked about the deputies’ stance when actor “José de Abreu spat on a woman”.
“When will you celebrate the 20 percent reduction in the number of homicides, which has also reduced the number of women murdered?”
In a note, the female deputies say Jair Bolsonaro’s statement is “utterly disrespectful and incompatible with the stance of a President of the Republic”. While the house floor speeches were being delivered, cries of “fascists” were being uttered by the opposition. Eduardo’s allies joined in shouting out the word “thieves” in unison.
Source: O Globo