Brazil's Minister of Agriculture Throws Wine in Senator's Face at Dinner

12/11/2015 - 09h32

Brazil's Minister of Agriculture, Kátia Abreu, threw a glass of white wine in Senator José Serra's (PSDB-SP) face.

The dinner took place on Wednesday night (9), as an end of year dinner at the home of Senator Eunício Oliveira (PMDB-CE) with nearly 40 senators in attendance, as well as Vice-President Michel Temer.

"I did what any honorable woman would do. I responded like a woman who values her honor", she told Folha.

Kátia Abreu said that she was speaking with senators when Serra "simply joined a circle without being invited, nothing more nothing less".

According to her, the member of the Brazilian Social Democratic Party said: "Kátia, I hear you're a woman who likes to date a lot".

The president of the Senate, Renan Calheiros, tried to repair the blunder: "Serra, the minister married this year".

Abreu says she immediately reacted: "You are an inelegant, impolite, arrogant man. That's why you'll never reach the presidency". And added: "And, besides, I never betrayed anyone in my life".

In the end, the minister said she threw wine in Serra's face and said: "I never gave you that right or that boldness. Please, leave this circle, go". Serra would then proceed to clear the room.

The minister said that "every woman knows what a comment like that means" and that she didn't have a choice. "The hatred that came over me", she said.

Kátia Abreu says that the episode doesn't have anything to do with the current differences between the two: Serra is working for the approval of President Dilma Rousseff's impeachment. Minister Abreu is part of her team and also a friend of the president.

Serra, sought for comment on Thursday (10), tried to minimize the exchange. He alleges that he made a "joke".

"It was a compliment disguised as a joke. I apologized. I've always had respect for Kátia".

Translated by SUGHEY RAMIREZ

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	Alan Marques/Bruno Poletti/Folhapress
	Brazil's Minister of Agriculture, Kátia Abreu, threw a glass of white wine in Senator José Serra's face