‘Traitor’ and ‘scumbag’: Bolsonaro shares video with attacks on Marçal after protest in Paulista

Former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) shared a video on his Telegram broadcast list in which businessman and influencer Pablo Marçal (PRTB) is described as a “traitor”, “swindler” and “profiteer”. The video is narrated by a speaker who says that Marçal is “afraid” of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the main target of the demonstration on Saturday, September 7, on Paulista Avenue. The PRTB mayoral candidate was present at the event, but arrived just before the end of the march. According to advisors close to Bolsonaro interviewed by Statethe attitude was interpreted as an attempt to escape the anti-STF theme of the protest.

The video shared by the former president’s broadcast list shows an interview in which Marçal says that he “has no problem with Alexandre de Moraes” and that he “will not pick a fight with the Supreme Court”. “It may not be your fight, Marçal, but it is our fight. Fighting for freedom of expression is our fight”, says the announcer, then.

The video ends with the announcer stating that “the right cannot be fooled again and divide” as that is “all the system wants”.

The piece addresses the heightened tension between the former president and the former coach, after the prelude to a rapprochement. In a note sent to State On Saturday, Jair Bolsonaro stated that Marçal “wanted to make a platform at the expense of the work and risk of others”. Silas Malafaia, organizer of the anti-STF demonstration and an ally of the former president, called Marçal a “clown”. The former coach’s press office was contacted to comment on the statements, but did not respond.

The rapprochement between Jair Bolsonaro and Pablo Marçal was rehearsed at the end of August, with the rise in the former coach’s voting intention rates. Last week, the PRTB candidate showed fluctuations within the margin of error in the surveys, which indicates, for now, stagnation.