Bolsonaro says visiting Putin in the midst of war ensured food security in Brazil and the world

Brazilian president considers criticism of his government for its policies in the Amazon “unjust”

He claims that demonstrations by some of his supporters demanding the closure of Congress are part of “freedom of expression”

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has defended his controversial visit in February to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in the midst of the war with Ukraine, assuring that with it he guaranteed food security in his country and in the world.

“I went to Russia to negotiate fertilizers with President Putin. If I had not gone, we would not have had fertilizers for our crops in this second half of the year,” Bolsonaro has said, adding that “that ensured food security in Brazil and the world.”

Bolsonaro gave an interview this Monday night for Globo network news, in which he acknowledged that he has not been able to fulfill some of his promises because of the pandemic, as well as because of the “huge drought” that hit Brazil last year and also because of the war in Ukraine.

BRAZIL ELECTIONS

Regarding the elections scheduled for October, the Brazilian president has assured that he will respect the result whatever it is “as long as they are clean and transparent”.

Statements that come after several months attacking the Brazilian electoral system and sowing doubt about its reliability. Accusations that intensified after the great favorite for these elections, the former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, recovered his political rights.

However, Bolsonaro has defended those accusations, which he has repeated again despite the fact that he has no proof and they have been denied, as part of his interest to “prevent them from planning doubts about the elections.”

In addition to the elections, another target that Bolsonaro has been aiming at with special predilection in recent months is Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who will serve as president of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) in these elections.

Bolsonaro has justified calling De Moraes a “scoundrel” because he was leading a “completely illegal investigation” against him. “The temperature went up,” said the president for whom the matter is already “pacified.”

In turn, he has told that at his initiative, a meeting will take place this Tuesday between the Minister of Defense, Paulo Sérgio Nogueira, and Judge De Moraes, to ensure the transparency of the elections. “I am sure that they will come to a good conclusion (…). You can rest assured, there will be clean elections”, he said.

CRITICISM OF HIS POLICIES IN THE AMAZON

He has also been questioned by the strong criticism that his policies regarding the Amazon have generated in much of the international community, assuring, as he has done on other occasions, that there is an “interest” from outside to attack Brazil on this issue.

“Brazil does not deserve to be attacked in this way,” protested Bolsonaro, who wondered why only his country is being talked about when “France, Portugal, Spain, or California” are also under fire.

“Brazil unfortunately is no different,” he has said, acknowledging that yes, somewhere there are “criminals” who cause fires, but he has questioned whether a control policy can be carried out due to the large size of that region. “The Amazon is the size of Western Europe,” he justified.

ATTACKS ON INSTITUTIONS

Bolsonaro also had time during the interview to relativize some of the statements that part of his electorate manifests during the rallies in his support, which also call for the closure of Congress and the Supreme Court, and even make references to laws of the dictatorship.

For the far-right leader it is “freedom of expression” and “part of democracy.” Bolsonaro has said that he does not share those claims, but that “they make no sense” to pretend to punish someone for waving a banner with this type of slogans.