Bolsonaro Calls Education Protesters “Useful Idiots”

By Arkady Petrov

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro (PSL) stated that students protesting against the contingency of funds, on Wednesday (15th), are a “confused mass” and “useful idiots”.

The opinion was voiced when arriving in Dallas, Texas. Bolsonaro will meet former U.S. President George W. Bush in the city.

Tens of thousands joined in demonstrations across Brazil on Wednesday to protest big cuts in federal funding for public education, the first nationwide rallies organized against far-right President Jair Bolsonaro since he took office in January.

According to Bolsonaro, the protesters are manipulated by a minority that controls federal universities.

“It’s normal, but most of them there are militant. If you ask them about the formula for water, they don’t know it; they don’t know anything. They are useful idiots who are being used as a confused mass for a smart minority that makes up the core of federal universities in Brazil,” he said.

Bolsonaro then discussed the contingency of funds and stressed that it is not a cut. “We have a problem. I found an economically destroyed Brazil. So, revenue was not what we expected from those who had planned the budget for the current year.” And he continued: “If there is no contingency, I will simply go against the Fiscal Responsibility Law,” he added.

The president also stated that the thousands of unemployed in the country have no qualifications because the Workers’ Party (PT) did not provide proper care.

“If you consider tests, which take place every three years, these are going down an increasingly steeper slope. Fifteen-year-old kids in eighth grade, 70 percent don’t know the rule of three. What is the future for these people?” he asked.