Brazil – Bolsonaro threatens indiscreet journalist

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday threatened to physically attack a journalist. The latter questioned him about checks for 22,000 dollars (20,056 francs) that his wife would have received from a senator in the heart of a case of alleged embezzlement of salaries.

“I want to shut your mouth with fists,” replied the far-right president to a question asked by a journalist from “O Globo” on press reports relating to Michelle Bolsonaro and a former adviser. of his son Flavio.

Jair Bolsonaro, who was speaking on the sidelines of a visit to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasilia, was subsequently revived by the journalists present on the spot on this threat but left without commenting further.

The words of the Head of State, known for his controversial statements, were immediately denounced by the editorial staff of “O Globo”, which, in a press release, stressed that the journalist was only doing his job. “Such intimidation shows that Jair Bolsonaro does not respect the duty of any civil servant, whatever his position, to be accountable to the population”, writes the daily.

Twenty-one checks

The question asked by the journalist referred to the revelations of the magazine Crusoe. The latter claimed this month that Fabricio Queiroz, a retired police officer, friend of Jair Bolsonaro and former advisor to Flavio Bolsonaro, deposited 21 checks for 72,000 reals (about 22,000 dollars at the 2016 exchange rate). ) to Michelle Bolsonaro between 2011 and 2016.

Fabricio Queiroz, as well as Flavio Bolsonaro, are under investigation for alleged embezzlement of salaries of officials in the cabinet of the president’s son during his tenure as regional deputy in Rio de Janeiro. The first lady did not comment on the information published by Crusoe.

ATS / NXP

Posted today at 01:36–