02/14/2024 – 20:04
The event called by former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) for Avenida Paulista, on February 25th, in São Paulo, generates behind-the-scenes demands on governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) and mayor Ricardo Nunes (MDB). Both are expected at the event, but neither has confirmed their presence so far. The two were contacted by Estadão through their advisors and did not respond.
The appearance would be a public demonstration of support amid investigations affecting the former president. Last week, Bolsonaro and people around him were the targets of a Federal Police operation investigating suspicions of participation in a coup d'état plot before and after the 2022 presidential elections, won by opponent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) .
Despite being called by the former president as a “peaceful act in defense of our Democratic Rule of Law”, there is a risk that the demonstration will adopt a coup tone. Bolsonaro asked supporters not to carry banners and posters “against anyone”. Other events in defense of the former president included materials calling for the closure of Congress and the Federal Supreme Court (STF), the arrest of ministers such as Alexandre de Moraes and military intervention, for example.
On the other hand, the absence of the Paulista event could boost Tarcísio's reputation as a “traitor”, something that has been repeated since the debate on tax reform, and compromise Nunes' alliance with the PL and the potential for transferring votes from Bolsonaro in October. The governor has received criticism for his agendas with President Lula. The mayor of São Paulo, in the same way, faces resistance from the Bolsonaro wing of the PL, which does not see him as a faithful follower identified with his values.
O Estadão confirmed with leaders of Bolsonarism in São Paulo that the two will be asked to take sides in favor of the former president. There is talk of “loss of support from the right” in case of omission. Officially, however, there is still no definition on the subject. Fabio Wajngarten, former Communications Secretary of the Bolsonaro government, limited himself to saying that “this topic has not come up yet” in internal conversations.
The report contacted the State government and the city of São Paulo asking if Tarcísio and Nunes had scheduled plans for February 25th and if they intended to attend the event called by Bolsonaro in Paulista, but there was no response.
In the meantime, speculation is growing on social media. Users interpreted a photo of Jair Bolsonaro with a “traíra weighing about 12 kg” posted on his account on Tuesday, the 13th, as a political message.
Another who took to social media to complain about the lack of support was PM Colonel Ricardo de Mello Araújo, tipped to be PL vice-president on Nunes' ticket. He criticized the lack of positioning of “elected governors behind President Bolsonaro” after the seizure of the former president's passport and the arrest in the act of Valdemar Costa Neto. “Where are the people on the right demonstrating?” he declared.
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