President Jair Bolsonaro (without a party) called members of so-called anti-fascist groups who are promoting protests against his government marginal and terrorists. In front of the Palácio da Alvorada, he also defended legal backing for police action in the demonstrations.
"It started here with Antifa in the field. The reason, in my opinion, political, different [from that of the protests in the USA]. They are marginal, in my understanding, terrorists. On Sunday, they threatened to make movements for Brazil, especially here in DF, " Bolsonaro said Tuesday night (2), according to a recording released by his supporters.
On Monday (1st), the president told his supporters not to go to the streets next Sunday (7), as they do every weekend since this is will be a protest against fascism and in opposition to the Bolsonaro government.
However, the president's assistants do not know what he will do because, in March, at the beginning of the new coronavirus pandemic, he advised his supporters not to protest. However, he still attended the March 15 act.
When asked about the anti-racist demonstrations that spread to several cities in the United States after a white policeman killed a black man, Bolsonaro responded that racism is different in the United States.
"United States, their racism is a little different from Brazil. It is more in the skin. So, there was a black man there who lost his life. Seeing the scene, we lament it. How could that have happened? Now, the American people have to understand that when you make a mistake, you pay. Now, what is being done there is something that I would not like to happen in Brazil. Of course, any abuse you have to investigate and, if necessary, punish. This type of movement, we do not agree," he said.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon