Candidate’s stabbing jolts Brazilian campaign
SAO PAULO — The stabbing of a leading Brazilian presidential candidate shook an already wildly unpredictable campaign to lead Latin America’s largest nation, with doctors saying Friday that Jair Bolsonaro will be in hospital for at least a week.
Supporters of the far-right congressman, who wants to crack down on crime, said the attack would only boost his chances in next month’s election, but it was unclear when he would be able to return to campaigning.
A knife-wielding man whose motive was unknown stabbed Bolsonaro during a rally on Thursday in Juiz de Fora, a city 200 kilometres north of Rio de Janeiro, as he was being carried on the shoulders of a supporter.
Bolsonaro, 63, suffered intestinal damage and serious internal bleeding, said Dr. Luiz Henrique Borsato, one of the surgeons who operated on the candidate. Bolsonaro is in serious, but stable, condition and will remain in intensive care for seven to 10 days, Borsato said.
The candidate was transferred Friday to a hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city. Supporters outside the hospital carried a giant inflatable doll of Bolsonaro dressed in a formal suit with a sash that said “President.”
“No matter what you think about him, he did not deserve this,” said Mauro Rodrigues, owner of a construction business who went to the hospital to support Bolsonaro. “It will definitely increase his chances of winning the election because people will be more sympathetic toward him.”
The attack is likely to have a major impact on the remaining four weeks of the campaign, from how candidates interact with supporters to their message.