“How easy it is to impose a dictatorship in Brazil,” Bolsonaro vents

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro said it is easy to impose a dictatorship in Brazil, when once again criticizing governors and mayors for adopting social isolation measures to fight covid-19. The chief executive’s lengthy rant came during his weekly stream on social media Thursday night, March 11th.

“Remember that video of us that leaked?! That wasn’t supposed to be leaked, but Justice Celso de Mello [Federal Supreme Court] said he had to disclose it, that I had interfered in the Federal Police?! First they saw that there was no interference whatsoever, and at a certain moment I said that, it is spontaneous: ‘how easy it is to impose a dictatorship in Brazil. I will repeat it: how easy it is to impose a dictatorship in Brazil,” said Bolsonaro, referring to the April 2020 cabinet meeting – the video was made public in almost its entirety by Supreme Court Justice Celso de Mello. Although Bolsonaro says he did not interfere in the Federal Police (PF), the inquiry into the president’s alleged interference in the body is still ongoing at the Supreme Court.

“The more they attack me, in a cowardly way by society, the more they undermine the person who can solve the situation. How can I solve the situation? I need to have support. If I raise my Bic pen and say ‘Shazam,’ I will be a dictator. Am I going to be alone in this fight? My army that I have been talking about all along is the people. I always say that I owe absolute loyalty to the Brazilian people, and these people are in every society, including the uniformed army. To you I owe loyalty, I do what you want, because this is my mission as head of state,” he said.

Although Bolsonaro criticizes social isolation measures in the fight against the pandemic, scientific bodies support the restrictions to tackle the second wave of the novel coronavirus. The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), which is under the federal government, wants “more stringent measures to restrict circulation and non-essential activities.” The Brazilian Society of Infectology (SBI) and the Brazilian Medical Association (AMB) want a “lockdown in some critical situations and in some locations” because it is “effective.”

“I am head of the Armed Forces”

During the speech, Bolsonaro pointed out that he may take an extreme measure and stressed that he is in charge of the Armed Forces.

“I repeat, I do what the people want. And I say more: I am the supreme chief of the Armed Forces. The Armed Forces are monitoring what is happening. Criticism of generals is not the time to do this. If a general makes a mistake, be patient, he will pay the price. If I make a mistake, I will pay the price; if someone from the Chamber of Deputies makes a mistake, they pay the price. If someone from the Supreme Court makes a mistake, one or two, let them pay. Now, this criticism of running down everyone… We lived a moment between 1964 and 1985. You decide what you think about that period. Think about it. I won’t go into details here,” he added, hinting at support for the military dictatorship – his political career is marked by this support for the period.

The most recent military dictatorship in Brazil occurred between 1964 and 1985. With the argument of preventing a communist dictatorship in Brazil, during the Cold War period, the Brazilian Armed Forces staged a coup d’état on March 31st, 1964, which deposed then-President João Goulart.

“I have a way to guarantee our freedom, I am the guarantor of democracy. Given the situation going on in Brazil, what are they using the virus for? To oppress you, to humiliate you, to try to break the economy,” he shouted.

He then reiterated his criticism of governors and mayors, particularly João Doria, albeit not naming him. According to Bolsonaro, the side effect of the lockdown is more damaging than the virus itself. He pointed again to the impacts of the closing of activities on employment, with the potential consequence being a rise in social tensions.

Also during the live stream, Bolsonaro said that he is “expecting a serious problem,” but chose not to explain what it would be, in order not to encourage violence.

“The hungry man loses his mind, he will do anything. We are holding Brazil back. I don’t want to say what these problems are because I don’t want them to say that I am encouraging violence, but we will have serious problems ahead,” he pointed out.

Source: UOL