Bolsonaro has spoken out about the recent events that left him ineligible for 8 years, after losing a ‘trial’ at the TSE. In an interview with TV show Pânico, from Jovem Pan broadcast, the former president still says “he is confident” in being able to contest the elections in 2026 and guarantees that “he is not afraid of being arrested”, as many political adversaries have claimed. “Under what accusation” – asked Bolsonaro
Despite being condemned to stay 8 years out of the political dispute by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE in Portuguese acronym), former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) still believes in a simple twist of fate”.
The declaration took place this Monday (3) during Jovem Pan’s “Pânico” program. By the time this article was edited (1h30 after the end of the interview), the recorded program had already registered almost 800,000 views on YouTube.
Asked which candidate he would eventually support in the 2026 presidential election, as he is supposedly out of action, Bolsonaro responded in a relaxed manner. “It’s still Johnny Bravo for now,” he joked, making a pun on the Cartoon Network character’s initials.
“Mind you, I’m not going to advise anyone. Because I’ve learned that when you’ve got precious information you have to know how to use it. This subject is of great importance, not for me. But it matters for Brazil – I can be out of combat soon”, he ponders.
For approximately 1h30 throughout the interview, Jair Bolsonaro also addressed several topics without hesitating. From the current state of economy in the Lula government, to the inquiry – now confidential – about possible hacker invasions in electronic voting machines in 2018 – one of the reasons, incidentally, which led the TSE to sanction its ineligibility on Friday (30).
Bolsonaro guarantees: “Lula wants to take the money out of the poor’s pockets”
The good results that still show up in the economy these days are a clear outcome of our government”, recalled the former president.
“The government now wants a new imposed digital tax (referring to the pix (digital direct transfers) at Caixa Econômica, cancelled by Lula after disclosure) – which is a “camouflaged CPMF” (an old type of compulsory tribute now extinct) . He wants to take the money out of the poor’s pockets “, he said.
Moreover, the delicate topic of January 8 – including the invasion and depredation of the headquarters of the Três Poderes, in the District of Brasília – was not left out of the agenda. Bolsonaro did not dodge out, and said that the right had gained nothing from the attacks, now investigated by the CPMI.
On the “8 de Janeiro” gate: Who gained from the depredation of public buildings? I surely did not.
“There was no central figure on the 8th of January riots. We can’t blame the people who were camped down there for months,” Bolsonaro pointed out, “This, according to the current Minister of Defense, José Múcio”, he completes.
We were very lucky with the dissemination of images (by CNN Brasil, on 4/19) where General G. Dias (former Secret Service Chief of Lula’s) appears walking peacefully along the hall of the public buildings while they were being taken down.
And who capitalized from it? I did not. The right wing won absolutely nothing. Who won? Of course, (current president) Lula, who posed as a great democrat,” he analyzed
“We are united. Am I going to be arrested? On what charge? We are going to keep fighting,” said Bolsonaro, when asked if he feared being arrested as a result of the events of January 8.
“Mr. Alexandre de Moraes could remove the secrecy of the 2018 Election’s inquiry so that everyone in the press will be in the know”
Towards the end of the interview, right after show’s presenter Emilio Surita started saying goodbye, Bolsonaro asked to comment on the final vote of his trial at the TSE, given by the president of the court, Alexandre de Moraes.
The former president confessed getting upset with the minister’s comments, who accused him of lying about an inquiry opened by Minister Rosa Weber regarding the 2018 elections.
“On the occasion of the vote that I lost by 5 to 2, the last vote was by Alexandre de Moraes, who called me a liar several times, clarified Bolsonaro.
“When the second round of the elections ended, a document came to me saying that there was fraud in the 2018 elections. The president of the TSE, Rosa Weber, then opened an inquiry and the TSE endorsed it. To disclose this, the TSE said that I divulged something confidential. And that is a lie. The investigation delegate confirmed that it was absolutely not classified. So, after I disclosed it, it finally became confidential. Well, If there’s nothing to hide in the TSE – since I’m like a card out of the deck now, I’d ask – Mr. Alexandre de Moraes could remove the secrecy of the investigation so that everyone in the press would be in the know. I’lll give you my word now : it’s unbelievable,” he concluded.
