The presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro clarified this Wednesday that his proposal to modify the Constitution and "redemocratize the country" focuses on a reform of the Supreme Court and on eliminating re-election, after even conservative sectors warned that this discourse could be interpreted as an authoritarian gesture.
Flávio has questioned whether Brazil is a "full" democracy and has advocated for promoting constitutional changes "that are possible," among them those related to the Judiciary, a goal he has maintained throughout the campaign and which includes greater control over the court and an 'impeachment' process against the judge who handles most of the cases against the Bolsonaro clan, Alexandre de Moraes.
"A reform of the Judiciary is necessary. I am in favor of lowering the age of criminal responsibility; this must be done through a constitutional amendment. There are aspects of the tax reform that must be modified (...) and of course, re-election is over," stated the winner of the first round.
The candidate has guaranteed "stability" and "peace" for those who work. "There will be legal security, respect for the Constitution. Everything will return to normal. Brazil has to return to normal," he expressed.
In this line, he emphasized that he intends to take advantage of "the political capital of a newly elected president" to put an end to re-election, assuring that, unlike the current Executive, he does not intend to cling to the position. "It's about setting an example," the ultraconservative candidate stressed.
However, he specified that the final word will rest with Parliament. "The legislative process will be respected and the majority will decide which path to take," he concluded before the media, according to Brazilian press reports.
The day before, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro had already indicated that, if elected on October 25, he would turn to the conservative majority in Congress to promote a constitutional reform and "democratize" the country, without specifying then which aspects he intended to alter.
"I will always act with moderation, with respect for politics and honoring and respecting every segment of society represented here by these parliamentarians," Flávio responded this Wednesday to the criticisms and concerns that his previous words had raised.
Support from the right and response from Lula
This Thursday, Flávio has also gained the explicit support of three conservative formations: União Brasil, Progresistas (PP) —which are part of the influential 'centrão' bloc in Congress— and Partido Novo, which did present its own candidate in the first round, have announced that they will ask for votes for him in the second round.
Meanwhile, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has turned to his social networks to urge his supporters to mobilize in order to prevent the "setback" from returning to the country with a possible victory of Flávio Bolsonaro.
"To those who love Brazil, to those who love education, democracy, those who want to have a quality job, continue studying and see Brazil grow, anyone who needs to improve their life, let’s go to the streets," Lula has called, who has shown confidence in winning on October 25. "We cannot allow the setback to return to this country," he has warned.