Evangelical Churches to Help Collect Signatures for Bolsonaro’s New Political Party

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – With just under four months to be launched in time for the 2020 municipal elections, the Alliance for Brazil, the future party of President Jair Bolsonaro, has garnered substantial support from evangelical leaders in the task of collecting the 491,000 signatures required to launch the party.

From the president of the Brazilian Confederation of Pastors’ Councils (CONCEPAB), Bishop Robson Rodovalho, to the president of the Evangelical Parliamentary Front, Silas Câmara, several religious denominations are willing to support the process of formalizing the new legend.

According to columnist Bela Megale, the Bolsonarians also rely on the support of the military for the collection of signatures.

Rodovalho told GLOBO that President Bolsonaro “deserves this help”. Leader of the ‘Sara Nossa Terra’ (Cure Our Land), a church with two million followers in 1,200 temples in the country, the bishop said he had already been contacted by a messenger from the party, and that one of the strategies will be to attract support during major church events.

At ‘Sara Nossa Terra’, the largest gatherings of believers take place in January and February, including the so-called “evangelical carnival,” an event with evangelical music shows that attracts thousands of participants.

“I will help. I’m available. The vision that the president (Bolsonaro) has for Brazil deserves this gesture of support.” said Rodovalho, who welcomed O GLOBO to his church in São Paulo last Monday.

The Alliance for Brazil announced last Sunday on Twitter that it will begin collecting signatures for its foundation this week. The challenge is precisely the short deadline in the calendar: the party needs all signatures by April 4th next year to have its registration ratified by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and thus be able to run candidates for the positions of mayor and city councilor.

Rodovalho, a former deputy with experience in collecting signatures for the founding of parties such as PL and PRB, said he believes that it would be better to act in major events.

In services, the public is smaller, he said. However, the bishop emphasizes that the signatures would not be collected inside the church or during events, but that there would be no problem if this were conducted at the front door.

“In churches, the services are fast and the gathering of people is not as numerous, with the exception of very large temples. But since it requires many signatures to be validated, I believe that the events, which last a few days, would be more fruitful,” he explained.

Other conversations

Rodovalho said that he had spoken with other leaders who also made themselves available to help:

“I’ve spoken to some leaders who’ve made themselves available. There aren’t many of them, but I didn’t find anyone reluctant. I believe that the ‘Assembleia de Deus’ (Assembly of God) of Pastor Silas Câmara (Federal Representative of Amazonas), would also do so willingly”.

Silas Câmara says that, if called upon to help in the foundation of the Alliance, he will work in favor of the collection. Brother of Pastor Samuel Câmara, who directs the ‘Assembleia de Deus’ church in Belém, Silas said that he sees no problem in helping in the collection of signatures and that he believes the leaders of different churches are willing to help the president.

“I don’t see any issues. I will help if I am called. If needed, I will joyfully help.” said Silas Câmara, emphasizing that he will support it “as a federal deputy”.

In turn, Samuel Câmara also said he was willing to help Bolsonaro create the party, but made it clear that the Evangelicals “will never be part of a single party”. In a less effusive tone, Samuel says that any gesture will not mean unconditional support for the government or the president.

“The church is also a social group with political will. And in today’s puzzle, people who like Bolsonaro will follow it. And they are inside our church. So, we wouldn’t cause any hardship. But I wouldn’t make it a political banner”.

Source: Globo