The senator and pre-candidate for President Flavio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) brought together a group of women this Wednesday (1st) in an attempt to welcome female voters after the crisis with Michelle Bolsonaro (PL), but exposed the internal resistance that it suffers from its own right.
In addition to the absence of the former first lady herself, important figures, such as former ministers and senators Damares Alves (Republicanos-DF) and Tereza Cristina (PP-MS), did not attend, and Flávio said that Michelle is “completely uninformed” by insinuating his participation in the ex-banker’s parties Daniel Vorcaroby Master.
“I want to assure you here: the only relationship I have with Vorcaro is about my father’s film (‘Dark Horse’)”, declared the senator, alongside his wife, Fernanda Bolsonaro.
This week, Michelle reposted a video in which the former governor of Rio de Janeiro Anthony Garotinho says he has seen images of Vorcaro parties with naked women and “men who defend the family”. Even without mentioning Flávio, the gesture was seen by his allies as an indirect attempt to link the senator to the scandal.
Flávio praised his stepmother saying that her work at PL Mulher should be recognized, but that perhaps she is being induced “or it is not possible to understand very well”.
The senator also minimized the public fight with Michelle by saying that he “respects her too much” and that he is convinced that they will overcome this difficult moment to be together during the campaign against Lula (PT).
Flávio sought to mitigate the bad repercussion of speeches by Bolsonaro businessman and influencer Paulo Figueiredo, now Eduardo Bolsonaro’s (PL-SP) right-hand man in the United States. In a video against Michelle, Figueiredo said that women “vote very badly“, especially single women.
Almost a week after Figueiredo’s video, Flávio said he “vehemently repudiated” the statements. The senator stated that the influencer, with whom he attended Donald Trump’s visit to the White Housedoes not participate in the campaign and felt offended.
“I don’t agree with what he said, completely wrong. He is not part of our campaign. Obviously he is a person who helps us a lot in the United States (…), as a result of this people try to put a speech in my lap that is not mine”, stated Flávio.
Figueiredo shared Flávio’s statement, said that the pre-candidate is right to repudiate his speech and minimized his role in the Bolsonaro clan. “I am a commentator who supports him as a voter,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Those around Michelle have been complaining about Flávio’s silence in the face of the attacks suffered by her and her allies on social media, after the video in which he says that the stepson humiliated her, mistreated her. In her view, Flávio did not repudiate or disauthorize these actions.
Michelle left the presidency of PL Mulher this Tuesday (30) and told people close to her that she was even more discouraged with the possibility of being a candidate for the Senate for the Federal District.
She communicated the decision to the president of the PL, Valdemar Costa Neto, in an almost two-hour meeting at the party. From there, he went to the Federal District Government headquarters, where he met with Damares and governor Celina Leão (PP).
Damares was called by Flávio to try to organize the meeting hours before Michelle’s video was released. The senator had initially stated that she would participate in the meeting and bring suggestions for the government plan.
The meeting took place at the home of lawyer José Vicente Santini, one of the coordinators of Flávio’s pre-candidacy, in Brasília. The location has been treated by the group as a pre-campaign office.
The senator was also on the side of Daniella Marqueswho has coordinated a series of proposals aimed at female voters and is currently one of the main candidates for vice-president. The idea is to present the plan, called “Brasil Por Elas”, on the 15th.
Flávio’s pre-campaign states that “more than 50 female leaders” participated, but the meeting featured few big names in Bolsonarism. The majority of members must compete for the elections this year.
An ally who did not want to be identified told the report that she preferred to consult Michelle before confirming her presence at the meeting with Flávio. She said Michelle encouraged her to attend because she understood it would be important for the election campaign of that participant.
With Michelle’s departure, Valdemar decided to eliminate the position of president of PL Mulher. According to the party, the women’s collective will continue to exist, but with the state and municipal presidents subordinate to the general command of the party.
The national vice-president of PL Mulher is Fortaleza councilor Priscila Costa (PL), one of the pivots in Michelle’s fight with her stepchildren. The former first lady wants Priscila to be a candidate for the Senate, but the party must launch Alcides Fernandes (PL), father of federal deputy André Fernandes, president of the PL of Ceará.
Priscila participated in the meeting with Flávio and avoided speaking to the press upon arrival at the meeting about the situation at PL Mulher. She said she will do this when she “talks to Michelle and President Bolsonaro about the transition period.”
Flávio’s allies minimized the disagreement with Michelle. “Anyone who has a big family knows, everything gets sorted out in the end. This pre-campaign period is when you have to wash your dirty laundry. During the campaign, everyone hugs each other and adjusts”, said the leader of the PL in the Senate, Carlos Portinho (RJ).
