Arrest, Death or Victory? Bolsonaro Suggests Three Options For His Future
23:06 GMT 28.08.2021 (Updated: 14:09 GMT 14.02.2023)
© REUTERS / ADRIANO MACHADO
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Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro made the claim that the nation's electronic voting system is vulnerable to fraud, offering to instead adopt printed receipts. His claims are being probed by the Brazilian Supreme Court, which, however, is also investigating Bolsonaro himself, for spreading fake news.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Saturday that he sees three options for his future, suggesting that he will either be arrested, murdered, or become the next president of Brazil if he wins the 2022 election.
"I have three alternatives for my future: being arrested, killed, or victory," he said, speaking at a meeting of religious evangelical leaders, later declaring that "no man on Earth will threaten me."
His remarks come amid his questioning of the reliability of electronic voting systems in the country, also threatening that, if he loses, he would not accept the results of the forthcoming presidential election scheduled for next year. He offered to initiate the adoption of printed ballots as his alternative.
🚨🚨Bolsonaro said today he sees only 3 options for his future:
— Brian Winter (@BrazilBrian) August 28, 2021
1) Prison
2) “being killed”
3) “victory”
He may realy believe these are the stakes. Explains why he is digging in so hard, as polls suggest he would lose in 2022 https://t.co/t9fP9fC8sH
Bolsonaro's criticism of the nation's electronic voting system was not welcomed by the Brazilian electoral court, which noted on Wednesday that the system is functioning normally and describing suggestions from the leader to adopt printed ballots as "a waste of focus" - prompting quick anger from the president.
"We have a president who neither desires nor provokes a rupture, but everything has a limit in life. I can't continue to live with this", Bolsonaro declared at the meeting of religious officials.
Amid his attacks on the electronic voting system, Bolsonaro has also sought to impeach Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes - a move that can only be triggered by the Senate president, currently Rodrigo Pacheco. The latter has refused to launch an impeachment process, underlining the importance of preserving "the fundamental division of power, grant the independence of each one and seek a harmony between them".
