PL Woman cites threat to Michelle’s physical integrity and PT attack

PL Mulher repudiated this Friday (12) the attacks suffered by former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro by a PT activist. In a live broadcast on the “Opera Mundi” channel, teacher and trade unionist Elenira Vilela said that Michelle needs to be destroyed politically and “perhaps in other ways”, alluding to the possibility of going to court to make her ineligible. The PL, in turn, said in a statement that it considered that the expression used by Vilela included a threat against the “physical integrity” of the former first lady.

“The seriousness of the threat uttered by the woman affiliated with the PT against the integrity of Michelle Bolsonaro is clear and encompasses, according to the words of this PT activist, not only political and judicial destruction, but a variety of other possibilities, represented by perhaps the expression of other forms, which, obviously, includes physical integrity”, said PL Mulher.

The statement about Michelle took place on December 22, 2023, during a live broadcast that featured the participation of former federal deputy and former national president of PT José Genoíno. “She [Michelle] is a key card. And if we don’t find a way to destroy her politically, and perhaps in other ways, legally, for example, proving the crimes and also making her ineligible, we’re going to have a problem for ourselves”, said Vilela.

After the repercussion of the mentioned excerpt, Opera Mundi stated that the video was taken out of context, “creating a tone of threat to the life of the former first lady”. “[O recorte] ignores that the term used in full was “destroy politically”, in addition to also omitting the unionist’s mentions of the different problems that Michelle faces in court, which involve possible crimes of corruption”, added the publication.

PL Mulher, chaired by Michelle, mentions in the statement that the “threat becomes plausible and feasible”, especially after the attack suffered by former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) during the 2018 electoral campaign. The party highlighted that it is already “ adopting the appropriate legal measures”.

“These threats become more serious when we understand the full context in which the aforementioned live broadcast was carried out. This is the issuance of a command, interspersed with an apparent pseudo-self-criticism, calling on the extreme left militancy, especially the PT, to ‘wake up’ and act in the face of what they called right-wing revenge due to a growth that she (the Brazilian right) would have, according to her views”, said the caption.

The Liberal Party highlighted that, despite the statements against Michelle, it defends freedom of expression, and is against internet regulation. “Despite everything that has happened, we reaffirm here our perennial defense of freedom of expression and our conviction that our country already has sufficient laws to hold accountable those who abuse this freedom, so that, also in this specific case, it is demonstrated that it is unnecessary to create any other legal instrument, especially those who, in disguise, want to impose censorship on the internet”, stated PL Mulher.

See the full repudiation note from PL Mulher:

“Through this Note, we express repudiation, sadness and indignation at the serious threat to physical, moral and reputational integrity against the President of PL Mulher, Michelle Bolsonaro, delivered in a live broadcast carried out by a channel serving the Brazilian left, which was composed of members of the Workers’ Party and other members of the extreme left.

Firstly, we would like to thank all the people who expressed their rejection of the threat made, as well as reinforcing their support and offering their prayers for Mrs. Michelle’s safety and well-being. We take this opportunity to ask, in advance, that you do not give these people a ‘spotlight’, this is what they want, as they always seek to take political advantage of situations. Let us leave them to the justice of men and to the Justice of God.

The seriousness of the threat uttered by the woman affiliated with the PT against the integrity of Michelle Bolsonaro is clear and encompasses, according to the words of this PT activist, not only political and judicial destruction, but a variety of other possibilities, represented by the expression perhaps in other ways , which obviously includes physical integrity. The threat becomes plausible and feasible, especially in a context in which Mrs. Michelle, former President Jair Bolsonaro, was already the victim of an attempted murder when a left-wing activist, formerly affiliated with Psol, made an attempt on his life. Were they sending messages to awaken a new ‘Adélio Bispo’? Were they revealing or planting in their militants ideas of new criminal plans? In view of the threats and the criminal history of several far-left activists, we are already adopting the appropriate legal measures.

These threats become more serious when we understand the full context in which the live broadcast was carried out. This is the issuance of a command, interspersed with an apparent pseudo-self-criticism, calling on the extreme left militancy, especially the PT, to ‘wake up’ and act in the face of what they called right-wing revenge due to a growth that she (the Brazilian right) would have, according to her views.

This strategy of disseminating commands to leftist militancy is common among them and is called ‘blowing the dog whistle’. In the specific case, the PT members who took part in the live called, each in their own way, their followers for greater engagement and, according to the threat-command of the PT militant, including for actions of ‘political and perhaps other forms’ destruction of Michelle Bolsonaro because, according to the reasoning of far-left activists, she would have become a political threat to them due to her mobilization potential. Therefore, the PT members present there also debated actions that are similar to the practice of political violence against a woman. Given this scenario, the recent gratuitous attacks perpetrated by the president of the Workers’ Party against Michelle Bolsonaro also begin to make sense. Would there be coordination for these threats? This is another point to be investigated.

As we explained at the beginning of this Note, the legal measures have already been adopted and will continue their natural process in the competent spheres. We trust in Brazilian justice and the impartiality of its judges. Despite everything that has happened, we reaffirm here our perennial defense of freedom of expression and our conviction that our country already has sufficient laws to hold accountable those who abuse this freedom, so that, also in this specific case, it is demonstrated that it is It is unnecessary to create any other legal instrument, especially those who, in disguise, want to impose censorship on the internet”.