World press echoes Bolsonaro’s September 7: ‘Campaign event’

The international press repeated the ceremony in Brasilia today to commemorate the bicentennial of Brazil’s Independence, referring to President Jair Bolsonaro’s (PL) strategy of using the traditional military parade as a “campaign event” for the October presidential election.

After attending the military parade on the Esplanada dos Ministérios in the morning, Bolsonaro spoke at a rally where he attacked women and voting intent polls, but avoided a confrontation with the STF (Supreme Federal Court).

Despite avoiding confrontations, the Chief Executive’s speeches demanded votes and followed the air of an election campaign.

“Let’s convince those who think differently than we do what’s best for our Brazil,” Bolsonaro said, before attacking women for using the First Lady as a female model.

We can even make a few comparisons between the ladies. Next to me is a woman of God and active in my life. It’s not next to me, it’s mostly in front of me,” he added.

According to a report in the Spanish newspaper El País, “the far-right president plans to capitalize on the bicentennial, gather a crowd of followers in the streets to reject the polls that put him behind Lula, and give his campaign a definite impetus.”

According to polls of voting intentions for the presidency, the former president looks ahead of Bolsonaro in the Palácio do Planalto race, with more or less advantage depending on the institution running the poll.

The Washington Post of the United States also followed the same line with the Spanish vehicle, saying that Bolsonaro “has taken on the task of promoting Brazilian patriotism and has chosen the national colors green and yellow as his own color”.

“It has filled its administration with military officers and has recently sought their support repeatedly to cast doubt on the reliability of the country’s electronic voting system,” the newspaper said.

Although September 7 is a non-partisan national holiday, “the president often describes it as an important milestone in his re-election campaign and tells his supporters to prepare to ‘leave their lives’ that day,” CNN said.

The publisher’s website also classified Brazil’s strategy as “an escalation of rhetoric”, even for Bolsonaro himself.

In response, Reuters agency said the president “mixed” the Independence Day military parades with campaign actions, citing criticism leveled by his administration’s opponents.