Knife attack on farright candidate
JUIZ DE FORA: The runup to a presidential election in Brazil plunged into chaos yesterday after a knife attack on farright candidate Jair Bolsonaro put the frontrunner in intensive care just a month before the vote.
Bolsonaro, who has enraged many Brazilians for years with controversial comments but has a devout following among conservative voters, could take two months to fully recover and would spend at least a week in hospital, Dr Luiz Henrique Borsato, who operated on the candidate, said.
‘‘His internal wounds were grave and put the patient’s life at risk,’’ Borsato said.
The attack on Bolsonaro (63) is a twist in what was already Brazil’s most unpredictable election since the country’s return to democracy three decades ago. Corruption investigations have jailed scores of businessmen and politicians in recent years, and alienated voters.
There was fear of violence flaring across Brazil yesterday, as the nation celebrates Independence Day with political groups likely to march in hundreds of cities. Bolsonaro’s rival candidates called off campaign activities yesterday.
Under Brazil’s campaign laws, Bolsonaro’s tiny coalition has almost no campaign time on governmentregulated candidate ad blocs on TV and radio. That means Bolsonaro relies on social media and rallies around the country to drum up support. As such, not being able to go out in the streets could impact his campaign.
But Flavio Bolsonaro, the candidate’s son, said yesterday outside the hospital where his father was treated that he was conscious and the attack was a political boost.
‘‘I just want to send a message to the thugs who tried to ruin the life of a family man, a guy who is the hope for millions of Brazilians: You just elected him president. He will win in the first round,’’ Flavio Bolsonaro said.
The retired Army captain is running as the lawandorder candidate and has positioned himself as the antipolitician, though he has spent nearly three decades in Congress.
He has long espoused taking a radical stance on public security in Brazil. His trademark pose at rallies is a ‘‘guns up’’ gesture with both hands to resemble pistols, has said he would encourage police to kill suspected drug gang members and other armed criminals.
He has openly praised Brazil’s military dictatorship and in the past said it should have killed more people.
Bolsonaro faces trial before the Supreme Court for speech prosecutors said incited hate and rape.
Local police in Juiz de Fora said the suspect, Adelio Bispo de Oliveira, was in custody and appeared to be mentally disturbed.
Police video showed Oliveira telling police he had been ordered by God to carry out the attack.