Michelle: It’s not Bolsonaro who has to be afraid of arrest – 02/01/2023 – Politics

Former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro said this Wednesday (1st) that it is not her husband, former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), who should be afraid of arrest.

Michelle attended this Wednesday afternoon at the inauguration of the new senators, joining a group of former ministers from the last administration who came to support the candidacy of Bolsonarist Rogério Marinho (PL-RN).

The former first lady caused quite a stir when she arrived for the special session of the Senate. She avoided stopping to give interviews to journalists, but as she walked, she was asked if her husband’s stay in the United States was related to his fear of being arrested.

“He’s not the one who has to be afraid of arrest,” he replied dryly. Afterwards, she was asked again about who then should have this fear.

“You know,” he added.

The former first lady traveled with her husband to the United States, shortly before the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT). Michelle, however, returned earlier to Brasilia and has been active on social media, posting photos of the move, among other things.

Indicated as an electoral possibility by the PL, she participated in the welcome dinner offered by the president of the PL, Valdemar Costa Neto, to the new parliamentarians of the acronym this Monday (30). The act was also an event in support of senator-elect Rogério Marinho (PL-RN), candidate for the presidency of the Senate.

During the meeting, Michelle made a video call with her husband, who is in the United States. According to participants, former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) praised Marinho’s candidacy and wanted to motivate elected deputies and senators.

One of the organizers of the former minister’s campaign, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), son of the former president, said he does not know when his father will return to Brazil. He further said that when he stated that the father might never return, he did not mean to mislead anyone into understanding this, but meant only that he had no information about the date of return —- “it is his time”.

According to him, Bolsonaro is still in a period of rest. “He is in a moment to cool down more, he deserves this moment of peace”, he said.

The senator said, however, that the father acted in favor of Rogério Marinho’s candidacy for the presidency of the Senate. “He called some that he has more freedom. He asked for some votes,” he said.

“I believe it will be back soon,” he added.

In addition to the first lady, some ministers of the Bolsonaro government participate in the inauguration session of the new senators, in a show of support for Marinho.

Former president of Caixa Pedro Guimarães and former attorney general of the Union Bruno Bianco also went to the Senate. Asked if he had gone there to support Marinho, Bianco only said he went to watch the new senators take office.

Guimarães, on the other hand, said that he went to accompany the inauguration of senators who support the Bolsonaro government. “Especially those who support the Bolsonaro government,” replied the former president of Caixa, fired from the bank after accusations of harassment.

Upon reaching the Senate, Marinho showed confidence in victory, despite the favoritism of current President Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG). The Bolsonarist criticized the Minas Gerais senator’s management, pointing out that he allowed a “hypertrophy” of the judiciary, which began to overlap with the other powers.

He said that, in case of his victory, the Senate will not be subordinate.

“Institutional relationship [com o governo Lula], relationship of respect, of understanding that the powers that be need to talk without subordinates. Our role will be to make sure that the projects coming from the Executive have normal processing. We will not do as happened in the previous legislature, when the main commission, the CCJ, only met 6 times in 2022. […] This type of stoppage, of attack against the institution, we will not do. The House will work,” he said.