RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Monday that those who vote for former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the 2020 elections “deserve to suffer.” The leader of the Workers’ Party (PT) has not confirmed his participation in the elections.
Last week, the majority of the judges of the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil (STF) decided to uphold the ruling of a magistrate who annulled the convictions to Lula in the state of Paraná. With this measure, the former president was enabled to participate in the presidential elections of October 2022.
“The votes were eight to three. Interpret it however you like. Now, for the love of God, the people who vote for a guy like that are people who deserve to suffer,” the far-rightist snapped before a group of followers outside the Palace of la Alvorada, his official residence.
The president took the opportunity to criticize a cover of the weekend magazine Veja with the photo of Lula and in which it reads: “Back to the game.” “Did anyone see the cover of this week [de Veja]? (…) there you have Lula, “he asked ironically.
When last week the decision of the STF was known, Lula assured that if necessary he will be a candidate to face “a fascist like Bolsonaro“, which he called” genocidal “for being the” major responsible for the chaos in the pandemic. “
Bad management
Some polls already place the PT leader ahead of Bolsonaro, whose government is being targeted numerous reviews for his terrible management of the coronavirus, which has left more than 373,000 deaths in this country and 12.3 million infections have already been exceeded.
During the meeting this Monday with his followers, Bolsonaro was asked by Alianza por Brasil (APB), the formation he launched at the end of 2019 after his departure from the Social Liberal Party (PSL), and admitted that he does not finish moving forward.
“The possibility of getting out is very small [con APB]. I’m already late, but I don’t have another game, I hope this month is resolved, “he commented.
Bolsonaro needs to join a political party to participate in the 2022 elections and, according to the rules of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (STE), he has up to six months before the elections.