On the same day the United States Senate reported on the horrific deeds performed by its agents – torture and rape first on a scandalous list – a Brazilian deputy stood up in Congress and gave a speech.
Jair Bolsonaro is a popular right-wing demagogue who wants a return to the days of Brazil’s military dictatorship.
Wednesday is World Human Rights Day but Bolsonaro doesn’t think much of human rights, or any other rights for that matter. He had a message for the country’s Human Rights Secretary, Maria de Rosario.
“I said I wouldn’t even rape you,” he said in reference to comments he said he made a few days ago, “because you don’t deserve it.”
No one can argue that Bolsonaro’s words came a surprise. He said exactly the same thing in 2003. “I won’t rape you because you don’t deserve to be raped,” he told her in the hallways of Brazil’s Congress, before pushing her away from him when she complained.
Members of Congress have parliamentary immunity in Brazil and can say what they like without fear of prosecution. Bolsonaro has already said his kids grew up in an educated family and so have no chance of being gay or of dating blacks.
He is a hateful man who perhaps more than any other person exemplifies the backward side of Brazil that is still a huge and tragically worrying presence in this great nation.
Brazil’s problem however, is not just people like Bolsonaro. It’s the macho culture where such comments are laughed off. It’s the political system that turns a blind eye to such vicious attacks.
Most of all it’s that not enough ordinary people care. His comments will cause little more than a ripple outside the chattering classes.
The only way Brazil will rid itself of misogynist, homophobic and racist figures like Bolsonaro is by isolating them and ridiculing them. For future generations, only education will work, but that’s too late for the 59-year old Bolsonaro.
Frighteningly, it is already too late for many of the country’s voters.
In October, Jair Bolsonaro was reelected to a sixth successive term in Rio de Janeiro. He got 464,572 votes, more than 100,000 more than any other Congressional candidate in the state.
27 comments
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December 9, 2014 at 7:10 pm
tropicalsmog
I really try not to compare Brazil with the US when it comes to politics, but I can’t help think that if an American elected official said something like that, they would have been asked to step down immediately. It’s shocking to see the frequent shouting, insults and even physical violence occurring in federal buildings. I really don’t understand how that kind of behavior is accepted.
December 9, 2014 at 7:43 pm
andrewdownie
Yes, these people exist everywhere. The problem is when they are tolerated and condoned.
December 12, 2014 at 6:46 am
lucimara
Most of us Brazilian people do not like and do not agree with this stupid and sick idiot. If you want to help make our voice heard by the Congress, please sign the on line petition.
https://secure.avaaz.org/po/petition/Conselho_de_Etica_da_Camara_dos_Deputados_Cassacao_do_Deputado_Jair_Bolsonaro_PPRJ/?sIUQMib
December 9, 2014 at 8:18 pm
wineopeners
Andrew:
I was hoping for something about the elections and this is great, a view that we outside of Brasil ever see. I was in Curitiba, SP and RdeJ during the elections and saw many interesting things but nothing quite as crass as Bolsonaro.
As to how and why, you’re correct – This is Brasil. And why Dilma? Same answer.
December 10, 2014 at 1:19 pm
Fred Downie
I doubt if there ever will be a time when all these bigots disappear, and yet we should be thankful in a free world we can raise our objections to what these people say. Just think what may happen if they ruled the world
December 10, 2014 at 2:27 pm
andrewdownie
Any power for them is too much power!
December 15, 2014 at 12:52 pm
Marcio Monteiro
Why do you hate democracy so much, Andrew?
December 11, 2014 at 2:27 pm
kartoshki
This is truly shocking, sad and horrific. Reading it in English drives the harsh reality of the inequality we live under right home.
December 12, 2014 at 6:15 am
Mari
In 1989 this famous Brazilian politician (Paulo Maluf) said „if you are having sexual desires, rape, but don´t kill”. Still he was elected mayor of Sao Paulo from 93-96 and succeeded by Celso Pitta, who was heavily supported by Maluf. In this year elections he ran for a seat in Sao Paulo City Council but at the end could not take it (even though he got more than 250.000 votes (!!!) and was the 8th most voted member!) because “Ficha Limpa” (“Clean Record”) made it impossible for convicted politicians to apply for candidacy – which was his case.
After 25 years, we have now Bolsonaro saying the same old demented lines and getting as many votes as Maluf. Sadly, the only conclusion I get is that if we don´t educate our people, we are all going to be keep being “brain raped” by those bastards….
December 12, 2014 at 10:06 am
andrewdownie
Education is the only answer….Education and progress….Unfortunately, it’s hard to be positive on those scores…..
December 13, 2014 at 9:01 am
Oliver
Maria call Bolsonaro of “rapist” before! His just defend yourself!
December 13, 2014 at 2:15 pm
andrewdownie
I can find no evidence she called him a rapist. Se vc tem provas, manda e vou mudar o blog. Abs, Andrew
December 13, 2014 at 3:54 pm
JustAGirl
she tells him in the video, he causes violence. He then asks “me? i am now a rapist?” she then says “yes, you are” MANY TIMES.
December 13, 2014 at 5:04 pm
andrewdownie
JustAGirl, do you have video of her saying that? That’s the first question.
The second is, even if she does, This man is an elected official and he should be setting an example. he should not be treating rape like it is a game. Thousands of women are raped in Brazil each year and suggesting that some of them deserve it is just ridiculous.
Our elected officials should be there to set an example.
December 13, 2014 at 5:13 pm
JustAGirl
The video is here in your blog! You just don’t understand it, i don’t know why! Of course rape is not to be treated like a game and of course he should be setting an example, so should SHE! But people are ignoring the fact, that she started the whole thing and that what he said is like “an idiom” for “you are an ugly woman”. Got it?
December 13, 2014 at 3:49 pm
JustAGirl
folks, you should QUESTION everything you read. The story ist not like it’s written in this blog or in most newspapers, they just forward what they’ve heard! Most people just follow the crowd without questioning what exactly happened, that’s unfair! I am brazilian and i am a woman. I also hate sexism and recognize our society is still very primitive, BUT the story is actually as follows:
He was at the congress speaking with jornalists in favor of lowering the minimal age of criminal responsability. This woman, Maria do Rosário, is AGAINST that, she also defends every criminal that is underaged! She was angry and started to tell Bolsonaro, that he causes violence and called him a rapist. SHE CALLED HIM FIRST A RAPIST, allright? He then said, he wouldn’t rape her, because she doesn’t deserve (which in our country means, you are ugly!). Of course this is not a nice thing to say and he should have kept quiet, but it is extremely unfair to blame him for a fight that SHE STARTED. To defend herself she began to put on a show, so that everybody would see HER and not HIM as a victim.
December 13, 2014 at 8:46 pm
Marcio Monteiro
Let’s put things in context, shall we?
Bolsonaro was being interviewed by a TV channel about Champinha, a murderer and rapist who raped a girl and killed her and the boyfriend 10 years ago. Because he was 16 years-old back then, under brazilian law he couldn’t face trial and go to jail, so he’s in a mental institution. He’s clearly not insane, so he can’t be kept there for much longer, but he also can’t simply go back to the streets, so Bolsonaro was in favor of lowering the minimal age of criminal responsibility, so underage criminals responsible for heinous crimes can face trial as adults. Rosário was against that and in favor of releasing Champinha, so she interrupted the interview and called Bolsonaro a rapist because of that.
In case that’s not clear. She was defending a murderer-rapist, and Bolsonaro was defending harsher punishment for them, and she called him a rapist for that. After he insulted back, she put a little show pretending to be the victim, but she actually comitted a crime, while his response, although in poor taste, is more than a reasonable reaction to being called a rapist.
December 13, 2014 at 9:02 pm
andrewdownie
The problem is, Marcio, that we have video or him saying these horrible things but we don’t have video of her calling him a rapist. So you see where the doubt comes from?
December 13, 2014 at 10:37 pm
Marcio Monteiro
Huh? It’s in the second video you posted..
December 18, 2014 at 6:46 am
Miguel Sousa
When the video started the discussion was already happening. Bolsonaro asks something she probably said before(rapist) and she confirms. Bolsonaro: I’m a rapist?! I’m a rapist?! Rosario:, You’re, yeah, yeah!!! … Simple to notice, no?
December 13, 2014 at 11:24 pm
andrewdownie
But that was 11 years ago.
December 13, 2014 at 11:32 pm
Marcio Monteiro
And? How is that relevant?
December 15, 2014 at 12:47 pm
JustAGirl
Marcio, i think the problem is that the people hate Bolsonaro and want to pillory him no matter what! The worst blind is the one who doesn’t want to see! They even watch the video and that do Rosário started the whole thing, but it doesn’t matter because Bolsonaro is the evil. Funny, because the worst people i’ve got to know in my life were seemingly calm and friendly people, not the ones like Bolsonaro.
December 16, 2014 at 12:12 pm
ÔBA#VAIDARDILMA (@ALZIRALOPES18)
I feel big shame that so many people voted him and his son, who shares the same kind of ideas. As far as the Congress does not respect itself and lets him stay, we’ll be in middle age.
December 17, 2014 at 8:29 am
Miguel Sousa
The press is helping PT (workers party) to difame Bolsonaro, because the press depends on government concession to survive. He’s the most popular and honest deputy who fights against corruption and criminality. He defends the military Regime because it prevented a communist dictatorship in Brazil and it was the best moment of brazilian development. Maria do Rosario is a demagogue who defends criminals and rapers. Bolsonaro said she should invite a raper to drive the car of her daughter if she likes rapers. That’s why she was screaming very stupidly and saying a lot of shit. Bolsonaro for President 2018!!!
April 19, 2015 at 11:23 am
Rodrigo Oliveira Campo Grande Rio
you colonialists from usa need to shut up & stay out of Brasil you bomb nations & try to tell us about our elected heros?? what a hypocrisy you are how many did Obama bomb? we see you for what you are-people who want to rule the world I bet you even delete these words because you are afraid of international intellect like this one
May 19, 2015 at 7:29 am
andrewdownie
Rodrigo, I am not American so I don’t understand your criticism. Neither do I understand what the US warmongering has to do with my blog about a homophobic Brazil politician. Please explain…