PT, PSOL and Bolsonaro’s rival politicians share fake news

This Monday (29), after the launch of the Federal Police (PF) operation that targeted councilor Carlos Bolsonaro (Republicanos-RJ), members of the PT, PSOL and rival politicians of the former president, Jair Bolsonaro (PL ), shared two fake news published by GloboNews.

The former president’s son was the target of the operation on suspicion of having received data collected illegally by Abin. One of the search locations was Carlos Bolsonaro’s office at the Rio de Janeiro City Council, where a computer and documents were seized.

The operation also carried out warrants in Angra dos Reis (RJ), where the Bolsonaro family resides. The former president and family were boating in the morning and returned to the residence around 11:30 am to monitor the execution of the warrants.

When reporting the case, the program’s anchor GloboNews ConnectionDaniela Lima, said she had confirmed with an anonymous PF source that an Abin computer in the possession of Carlos Bolsonaro had been seized.

A few hours after making several statements against the councilor for allegedly possessing the equipment, Daniela Lima acknowledged that the information had not been officially confirmed by the PF.

In fact, Abin equipment would have been seized at the home of a military officer in Bahia and not with the councilor. The soldier is married to an Abin employee and has no ties to Carlos Bolsonaro.

Although the information has been denied, the headline published by Daniela on her blog on G1, even after being changed, still suggests, without evidence, a link between the seized equipment and councilor Carlos Bolsonaro.

The anchor of GloboNews he also said that the former president and his children left the place by boat after the PF arrived. Shortly after making the statement live, the journalist asks to show images from the scene that show PF agents leaving the family home with the former president and the councilor following the operation.

According to lawyer and family friend Fabio Wajngarten, the former president, his children and friends went fishing at 5 am, therefore, well before the start of the PF operation.

The first version presented by the journalist, however, has fueled leftist activism on social media.

Accused of “rachadinha” and known for defending the use of fake news against the former president, deputy André Janones (Avante-MG) shared the version of GloboNews on their social networks and suggested that the family had left the house upon the arrival of the PF to “discard” supposed evidence at sea.

“The Federal Police just seized an Abin computer from Carlos Bolsonaro. Is it going to take a lot of work for the box head to explain this one? We are watching the fall of the family live […] The Bolsonaro family leaves by boat when the Federal Police arrive at the house where they were staying in Angra and then returns. The question that remains is: what did they discard in the sea?”, wrote Janones on the social network X.

Interestingly, on Sunday (28), the day of the “superlive” broadcast by the Bolsonaro family, Janones commented in a publication by deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP) disaying that it would be “one of the last lives before prison”.

The president of the PT, deputy Gleisi Hoffmann, also shared the fake news about Abin’s computer and accused the Bolsonaro family of “attacking and monitoring opponents”.

The federal deputy and pre-candidate for mayor of São Paulo, Guilherme Boulos (PSOL), published the versions presented by the GloboNews and proposed a “cleanup” of Brazilian politics. Boulos also promised that he will do his part in this “cleaning” process in São Paulo, if he is elected mayor.

By sharing the same news, PT’s official page on the social network accused the Bolsonaro family of spying on political opponents.

PSOL, also through its official social media page, accused councilor Carlos Bolsonaro of running an alleged espionage scheme. The party endorsed the versions about the seizure of Abin’s equipment and the family’s escape.

Reaction

When reacting to the report from GloboNewsdeputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP) dthat presenter Daniela Lima is “dishonest” and has “no commitment to the truth or to the ethical duty of a serious journalist to inform his audience”.

“Fake news on GloboNews! Contrary to what was said by the journalist who lies to misinform, no Abin computer was found with Carlos Bolsonaro. In fact, the equipment was in the possession of a military man married to an Abin employee. It is also worth noting that he is not and has never been an advisor to Carlos. It has a method. All through the manipulation of public debate”, wrote congresswoman and journalist Júlia Zanatta (PL-SC), on social network X.

“The situation of militant journalism in Brazil is deplorable,” said influencer Bárbara Destefani, also via the social network.

“The flight of those who did not flee; the seizure of Abin’s laptop from Carlos, which was neither with Carlos nor Abin’s; the parallel Abin that does not exist and is investigated by Lula’s parallel PF; democracy being destroyed by those who claim to defend it. We will not give up on Brazil”, said Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ).