"Let's not deal with the virus like fags!": Brazilian President Bolsonaro

Agent 1 holds an honorary position -- "Agent for Life" -- and is not required to contribute anything. But it seems 1 has nominated a sub-agent, who has sent us an interesting story from Barbados News. 

That little-known source reports that President Jair Bolsonaro (seen here with Still-President Trump) has warned the people of Brazil not to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic like "a country of fags"! Can you imagine Emmanuel Macron or Just In Trudeau saying something like that? I thought not.

But it's true! The popular right-wing president, who has consistently downplayed the Kung Flu, made the comment during a speech on tourism two weeks ago. "All anyone talks about these days is the pandemic," he said. "We need to stop that."

Sr Bolsonaro went on to say, "I regret the deaths. I really do. But we're all going to die someday. There's no use fleeing reality. We have to stop being a country of fags.... We have to face up to it and fight. I hate this faggot stuff!"

It was the latest in a long list of controversial statements on the pandemic from O Presidente, who has condemned the "hysteria" [same as "Dempanic". Ed.] around Covid-19, compared the new coronavirus to a "little flu" and asserted that Brazilians' immune systems were so strong they could swim in raw sewage and "not catch a thing." 

Sr Bolsonaro also took a swipe at Sleepy Joe Biden, who has irked him by urging his administration to do more to protect the Amazon rainforest. "Recently, a big-shot presidential candidate said if I didn't put out the wildfires in the Amazon he would impose trade sanctions on Brazil," he said, apparently referring to a comment Mr Biden made during the first debate in September. 

"How do you deal with that kind of thing?" President Bolsonaro asked rhetorically. "Diplomacy alone doesn't work.... You have to have gunpowder. You don't have to use it. But they have to know you have it." 

Interesting statement, but Walt will be surprised if Brazilian gunboats appear off the coast of Florida anytime soon. But come to think of it, maybe that's not such a bad idea. 

2nd in 2 weeks! Brazil consecrated to Immaculate Heart of Mary

Incredible! For the second time in a week, a nominally Catholic nation has been consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, on the initiative of a conservative political leader. Just yesterday, Walt was pleaed to report that Matteo Salvini, Italy's Deputy Premier, dedicated his country to the Immaculate Heart on May 18th, at a rally in Milan. See "Salvini commends Italy to the Blessed Virgin Mary - Pope displeased", WWW 24/5/19.

Sig. Salvini was criticized by hierarchs of the Church (Hello, Cardinal Parolin!) for his fervent expression of faith. At the rally, the crowd of 1000s responded with jeers and catcalls to the mention of the name of the alleged Pope. Francis has reportedly refused to meet the Italian leader because of the latter's policy of stopping by invasion of Italy by hordes of "refugees" and asylum-seekers.

Hard on the heels of last weeks week's stunning news comes this report from Planalto, the website of the Presidency of Brazil, that on Tuesday last, that country was consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in a ceremony that included President Jair Bolsonaro and Bishop Fernando Areas Rifan.

The consecration was an initiative of national deputy Eros Biondini and Brazil's Catholic Parliamentary Front in reparation for sin and to ask for divine protection. Said Senhor Biondini, “We are doing this for Brazil, for our love for our nation." A statue of Our Lady of Fatima, revered in Brazil, which has more Catholics than any other country, graced the ceremony and will remain in a place of honour in the presidential palace.

Signing the proclamation of national consecration were President Bolsonaro, cabinet minister Floriano Peixoto, and Sr Biondini. The other signatories were Bishop Areas and Bishop Emeritus João Evangelista Martins Terra of Brasilia, the nation's capital. During the ceremony, participants prayed the Rosary and sang a Marian hymn, accompanied by a number of nuns.

Bishop Areas leads the Personal Apostolic Administration of St. Jean Marie Vianney, devoted exclusively to celebrating the pre-1965 Roman rite of the Mass. The prelate said that consecrating his country to the Immaculate Heart means that "Brazil recognizes the presence of God." Pro-life advocates, among them a priest, displayed banners emblazoned with the motto "Brazil is alive: no abortion.”

Sr Peixoto thanked President Bolsonaro for his participation in the event, saying, "This space and all our public buildings are places in which the Christian faith is professed.... May God illuminate everyone so that we can achieve our goals of lifting up fellow citizens and bringing to our children, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews and cousins, a better and more just condition for everyone."

Right on the rise in South America, as Bolsonaro wins in Brazil

They call him a hater. They call him a racist, a misogynist, an anti-Semite, a homophobe and a neo-Nazi. And now they call him Mr President!

No, it's not Donald Trump of whom we speak, but Jair Bolsonaro, the 63-year-old congressman, who's also been called "Brazil's Donald Trump" or "Tropical Trump". Mr Bolsonaro has been criticized by the lamestream media and liberal pols at home and abroad for sexist comments about women [What's the Portuguese word for "pussy"? Ed.], refusing to recognize "gay rightsw", racist remarks about Brazil's black population, as well as his praise for the country's 1964-85 military dictatorship. But on Sunday he easily won the fun-off presidential election, riding a wave of frustration over corruption and crime that brought a dramatic swing to the right in the world's fourth-largest democracy.

In his acceptance sppech, Mr Bolsonaro said "We cannot continue flirting with communism.... We are going to change the destiny of Brazil!" His winning campaign was fuelled in large part by popular rejection of the leftist party (similar to America's "socialist Democrats") that ran Brazil for 13 of the last 15 years, and was booted out two years ago in the midst of a deep recession and a scandal over political graft. Mr Bolsonaro also vowed to crack down on crime in Brazil's cities and farm belt by granting police more autonomy to shoot at criminals. He also wants to let more Brazilians buy weapons to fight crime.

Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters cheered and set off fireworks outside his home in Rio de Janeiro's Barra de Tijuca beachfront neighbourhood as his victory was announced. In Brazil's commercial capital of Sao Paulo, Bolsonaro's win was greeted with fireworks and the honking of car horns. Said the local president of Mr Bolsonaro's Partido Social Liberal (PSL) party, "Brazil is partying. Brazil's good people are celebrating!"

Footnote: "Partido Social Liberal" = Social Liberal Party. Just shows that the name of party doesn't matter. What matters is what they say and, even more, what they do!