Attack on Trump Fuels Fake News about Stabbing of Bolsonaro
Left and right used the episode to revive false narratives about the 2018 attack
About to turn six years old, the stabbing by Adélio Bispo on then-presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro in September 2018 continues to fuel fake news and distortions, both on the left and right.
The episode resurfaced after the attack on Donald Trump this Saturday (13). Shortly after the crime, Congressman André Janones (Avante), an ally of President Lula, posted: "Now we know what the militiaman went to do in the USA as soon as he left the presidency. It's the 'Fake Stabbing' setting an example."
This Sunday (14), Carlos Bolsonaro (PL), son of Jair, reposted an old interview video of former minister José Dirceu (PT). In the post, Carlos suggests that Dirceu had classified the stabbing as "our mistake" – distorting the statement by the PT member.
The posts show how the episode continues to be used, both on the left and right, to fuel false narratives.
On one hand, part of the right maintains the idea that the crime had a mastermind or connection with left-wing parties – something dismissed by the Federal Police, which concluded a second inquiry into the case in June.
On the other, left-wing actors spread the false theory that the stabbing was planned by Bolsonaro or that it never happened.