Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 1 october 2018

Tens of thousands say 'Not him' to leading Brazil candidate

By SARAH DiLORENZO Bolsonaro's campaign has
MARCELO SILVA DE SOUSA both benefited from and
Associated Press contributed to the politi-
SAO PAULO (AP) — Tens of cal divide by focusing on
thousands of Brazilians took culture-war issues and "tra-
to the streets Saturday in ditional" family values.
protest against the presi- He hasn't tempered his
dential front-runner, a far- rhetoric during the cam-
right congressman whose paign and has kept up his
campaign has exposed praise of Brazil's two-de-
and deepened divisions cade military dictatorship.
in Latin America's largest He has also promised to
country. give police permission to
The protests came the shoot first and ask questions
same day that Jair Bolso- later.
naro was discharged from Saturday's protests were
a Sao Paulo hospital where led by women's groups and
he received treatment af- others who said they reject-
ter being stabbed during ed his divisive rhetoric and
a campaign rally on Sept. feared he would make life
6. On Saturday evening, harder for minorities of all
after flying home to Rio, he stripes.
tweeted that there was "no "Being here means say-
better feeling" than to be ing no to sexism and to
close to his family. People protest holding signs with a message that reads in Portuguese: "Not him" during a protest hate," said Lidia Ferreira,
In Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro against leading presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro, at Cinelandia Square in Rio de Janeiro, a 46-year-old literature
and Brasilia, people flood- Brazil, Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. teacher. "Bolsonaro as
ed avenues and squares Associated Press president would be a trag-
to sing, dance and shout edy for the country.
"Not him!" — the rallying cry Bolsonaro, who is known for percent of support among of women supported him A handful of smaller rallies
of groups who are trying offensive comments about voters polled, but he also — an unusually large gap. were also held in support
to prevent Bolsonaro from gays, women and black has the highest rejection The difference in support of Bolsonaro on Saturday.
taking office in October people. rate of any candidate. That between men and woman One of his sons tweeted a
elections. In downtown Rio de Ja- could become especially for other candidates varies video of dozens of wom-
"We're saying to those neiro, a crowd that was important if no one wins the by only a handful of per- en in pink shirts singing his
people who are unde- heavily women shouted: majority of votes on Oct. centage points. name in front of the opera
cided: Not him," said Selia "Sexists and fascists won't 7, and the election is de- The poll was conducted house in the Amazonian
Figueiredo, a 43-year-old advance!" cided in a second round. between Sept. 22 and 24 city of Manaus. Another
banker in Sao Paulo, who Other smaller rallies were Polls then show him losing and has a margin of error son tweeted a video of
said she worried for her held in cities around Brazil, in most scenarios. Bolson- of 2 percentage points. around 100 women who
rights as a gay woman if including some in support aro has said he will accept Brazil is experiencing a mo- were identified as Evan-
Bolsonaro were to win. They of the candidate. nothing less than victory ment of intense and un- gelical leaders, saying "Yes
can vote "for anyone else, Bolsonaro's candidacy has and suggested his oppo- usual polarization after a him, Bolsonaro represents
but not him." attracted international at- nents will commit fraud to tumultuous few years. It me!"
In the heart of Sao Paulo, tention as an example of defeat him. has suffered a deep, pro- Bolsonaro's "tell it like it is"
Brazil's largest city, left- the trend in many countries His support is particularly longed recession, a corrup- attitude has gained trac-
ist presidential candidate toward populism and ex- thin among women, who tion investigation that deci- tion among voters who
Guilherme Boulos and his tremes in politics, and small led the protests against him mated its political class, are angry at the political
running mate Sonia Gua- protests were held against Saturday. According to a and the impeachment establishment. Despite his
jajara led the march, while him in London, Lisbon, Ber- recent Ibope poll, 36 per- and removal from office decades in Congress, they
people beat drums and lin and Paris. cent of men surveyed said of its first female president see him as a no-nonsense
waved gay pride flags and Bolsonaro is currently lead- they would vote for Bolson- in highly contentious pro- outsider who can rid Bra-
banners that denounced ing polls with around 28 aro, while only 18 percent ceedings. zil of corruption and high