Brazilian Vice President Says NY Mayor “Offends all of Brazil” by Criticizing Bolsonaro

By Xiu Ying, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Vice President Hamilton Mourão said Saturday night that the Democratic mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, offended all of Brazil by criticizing President Jair Bolsonaro.

On Friday, de Blasio celebrated the withdrawal of Bolsonaro to attend an event in the American city. On Twitter, he said that the Brazilian was a bully “who can’t take a punch” and “ran away”.

Mourão used the same social network to refute the comment and said that de Blasio attacked Bolsonaro without knowing him.

“Mayor @BilldeBlasio surprises those who regard New York as the city that universally welcomes people of all backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, and opinions. He attacks @jairbolsonaro without knowing him and offends all of Brazil, which is democratically represented by its president,” wrote the vice president.

Bolsonaro was to be honored by the Brazil-U.S. Chamber of Commerce on May 14th. The event began to face resistance when the Museum of Natural History of New York, which would host the ceremony, refused to receive the Brazilian president.

The institution said it had agreed to open the venue for the Chamber of Commerce event before the ceremony was presented.

The announcement echoed among other groups critical of the U.S. president, such as LGBTQ rights activists and minority representatives, who allegedly pressured potential sponsors to boycott the tribute.

Bill de Blasio, a democratic politician and reportedly Presidential Candidate, engaged in the campaign against the honor and even claimed that Bolsonaro was a “dangerous man”.

Faced with the repercussion, Bolsonaro decided to cancel the trip to the USA.

“Faced with resistance and deliberate attacks by the mayor of New York and pressure from interest groups on the institutions that organize, sponsor and host the event annually, the ideologizing of the activity was characterized,” said the text released by the cabinet of the Presidency spokesman, Otávio do Rêgo Barros, on the case.