The senator (-RJ) visited an agricultural fair in western Bahia this Tuesday (9) and criticized the president (), stating that his opponent persecutes him and treats rural producers like bandits.
“You carry this Brazil on your shoulders and you don’t deserve to have a president who treats agriculture as if you were fascists, as if you were bandits”, said the senator in a speech at the Bahia Farm Show, in Luís Eduardo Magalhães (960 km from Salvador).
The pre-candidate for president was applauded and cheered by an audience made up mostly of rural producers. The act, however, was marked by the absence of the former mayor of Salvador (União Brasil), who will run for Government of Bahia with the support of the PL.
In a speech lasting just over six minutes, Flávio Bolsonaro also made no references to ACM Neto and only spoke generally about “freeing Bahia from the PT”, alongside former minister João Roma (PL), pre-candidate for the Senate on the opposition ticket.
ACM Neto has been pressured by Bolsonarists to get on Flávio’s platform, but the assessment of allies is that this movement could alienate Lulista voters dissatisfied with the governor (PT). In 2022, Lula had 72.1% of the votes in Bahia against 27.9% for .
The former mayor of Salvador signaled support for Ronaldo Caiado (PSD) in the presidential dispute, but stated that in a possible second round he will be “against the PT”.
This Tuesday, he participated in a mass in Salvador. The day before, the plane that would take him to the city of Livramento de Nossa Senhora had to make an emergency landing. The absence of Luís Eduardo Magalhães was already expected before the incident.
In a speech at the agricultural fair, Flávio praised the contribution of agribusiness to the Brazilian economy and thanked rural producers for what he classified as a fundamental role in food production. The senator also attributed advances in land regularization to the Bolsonaro government, citing the delivery of rural property titles
He also said that the Lula government acts leniently towards organized crime and defended measures such as reducing the age of criminal responsibility and chemical castration for rapists: “These criminals have until the end of the year to get involved. Either they will be arrested or neutralized.”
Finally, the senator said he intends to climb the Planalto Palace ramp alongside Jair Bolsonaro. The former president is trapped at home and ineligible.
The Bahia Farm Show is the main agricultural fair in the Northeast and one of the most important in Brazilian agribusiness. It is held annually in Luís Eduardo Magalhães, one of the main soybean, corn and cotton production centers in western Bahia.
This Monday (8), the official opening was attended by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin (PSB), who participated in the opening of the fair representing President Lula.
Luís Eduardo Magalhães was one of the two municipalities in Bahia in which Bolsonaro had more votes than Lula. The electoral history reflects the city’s economic profile, strongly linked to agribusiness and the expansion of Matopiba’s agricultural frontier.
Lula participated in the Bahia Farm Show in 2023, when he defended a reconciliation between small and large farmers. Outside the fair, Bolsonaro supporters gathered and chanted “thief”, but did not cross paths with the president.
