‘Some have become experts in pushing people away’, says Nikolas after Eduardo’s attacks

“My role is as an attacker”, summarized deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) to explain his communication strategy and also respond to the questions he has been receiving from the right about his performance in the pre-campaign of senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) for the Presidency of the Republic. Criticized by former deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL), Nikolas claims that he suffers “unilateral attacks” and cites members of his political group who “think they are more Bolsonaro than Bolsonaro himself”. They are, according to him, “experts in pushing people away”.

The Genial/Quaest survey released the day before yesterday shows Flávio ahead of President Lula for the first time in a possible second round. How do you evaluate this result?

I believe that the election will be decided by approval, but mainly by disapproval. So, the more one candidate fails, the more likely the other is to win. This erosion of the Lula government is work that we have been doing for a long time. And Flávio was surprised, in terms of dealings, with being able to make good alliances, platforms in the states, things that Lula is having difficulty with. There are two things that complemented each other: Flávio’s good reception and Lula’s high disapproval. I think Flávio has got it right, but Lula’s mistakes contribute a lot.

Have you participated in Flávio’s pre-campaign? What should be the strategy adopted going forward?

The campaign has to be intelligent. Just like Flávio said, and I repeat, everyone has a role. The team is not just made up of defenders, just attackers. Each one has a role and they complement each other, which I think for some is difficult to understand. We need to convince people not only with the name, but with the ideas that that name carries. What does Flávio represent? Public security, tax cut. You won’t see any video of me saying at the end: “So follow me”. I don’t need it. I need people to understand what I carry. What adds more? Do you talk to those who are already going to vote with Flávio or do you reach out to other people? Preaching to the converted is simpler. Now, reaching those who have not yet been convinced to vote for Flávio is the most difficult task.

So are there people making mistakes today in Flávio’s campaign?

Many end up being very focused on maintaining the base, which I also think is important. It’s okay for the guy to talk about Flávio every day, as long as he doesn’t say that my strategy is wrong. Is it wrong for a defender to score a goal? No, it will be great. But do you agree that his role, most of the time, will be defense? My role is to attack. Can I ever steal the ball? I can. But my role is as a striker. The problem is when they want everyone to campaign in the same way. There are some who have become experts in pushing people away. We will not contribute to a campaign by discarding anyone who does not agree 100% with us.

When you talk about “some”, do you mean Eduardo Bolsonaro, who publicly criticized you for allegedly acting against the Bolsonaro family?

No, I leave that to the reader. I never started any fights. The question that needs to be asked is: what have I already done? Because one fight is two. This isn’t a fight, it’s a one-sided attack. Which post of mine do I have attacking my son, wife or Bolsonaro himself? On the contrary, I am extremely loyal to the ideas that Bolsonaro carries. He himself, the last time we met, said: “Rest at peace, I am with you”. But unfortunately there are some who think they are more Bolsonaro than Bolsonaro himself.

You were accused by Eduardo of operating the networks’ algorithm against the Bolsonaro family. Did this happen?

I’m the algorithm technician (laughs). I think people’s lack of purpose really makes them want to destroy other people’s purpose.

How is your relationship with Eduardo today?

I am very grateful to him for everything he did for me. My response has always been silence and work. I’m sorry he’s away from his family, his father. I can’t imagine what a person’s mind would be like in that situation.

Do you see attacks from your stepchildren against Michelle? How is your relationship?

I’m sorry. I think it is very bad to attack if this occurred. But I don’t get into (it) because I think these are their issues. I don’t have a level of friendship with her, but we talk about trivial things, it’s not just politics. I admire and like her a lot and I think she plays a fundamental role with Bolsonaro in terms of bringing him closer to faith.

Do you have enemies on the right?

I have. No one doesn’t have friction at home, it’s something natural for human beings and I don’t focus on these people. I don’t keep fueling this fight because I think people will notice. Why is there so much happening in Brazil and the focus is on Nikolas? Will people become nannies for Twitter likes? And I remain silent to preserve something bigger, which is the right itself, Bolsonaro himself.

Do you think this type of friction exists due to a dispute for protagonism on the right?

Nobody puts themselves in the position of leader. I never put myself in the position “I’m in charge of this here and that”. On the contrary, I believe there are hierarchies. Wherever I can serve my country most, I will serve. Today I am a federal deputy.

Is running for government of Minas a possibility?

The Executive will one day be inexorable in my life. In the Executive, you can have a pen in your hands to accomplish many things and just by not being a criminal, a bum, I know that I will be able to do a lot. Now, everything has its time. I don’t just want to win the elections, the difficult thing is to govern. There’s no way you can drive a car with a passenger putting their finger in your eye, with people wanting to kick you, pull the handbrake. At this moment I am not joining the government because I still do not have the basic training, both as state deputies and councilors, to infiltrate fields of power such as the Judiciary, press, media, culture, union, so that I can govern. In 2030 I can already run for governor. These are plans that we are evaluating.

The scenario in Minas today is one of fragmentation of the right. Would Romeu Zema as Flávio’s deputy help in the campaign?

I think it adds up. Minas is the second largest electoral college in Brazil. Zema brings this image of management, of seriousness. Of the names that are being put forward, this is the one that adds the most so far.