The president (PT) responded this Thursday (26) to a speech by senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) and said that he “is in dismantling”. Last month, the parliamentarian had compared the PT member to an “old Opal”.
“The other day Bolsonaro’s son [Flávio Bolsonaro] I said it like this: Lula is the old Opala. When he says it like that, I don’t take offense. Because I had a turbocharged 94 Opala. If he knew my Opal, he wouldn’t talk. He says it because his Opal is his father, who is in the chopping block. The Opal he knows is his father. He doesn’t know what the turbocharged Opala is,” said Lula, 80.
Former president Jair Bolsonaro, 71, has had bacteria in both lungs since March 13. This Thursday, a medical bulletin reported that he should be discharged from hospital on Friday (27). Due to health problems, the former representative obtained the right to house arrest
The measure was taken on Tuesday (24) by the minister of the (Supreme Federal Court), for an initial period of 90 days. During the period, Bolsonaro will have to use and will be prohibited from using social media or recording audio or videos.
Lula’s statement was made during his speech at the opening of the Rio de Janeiro Federative Caravan, in Niterói. The initiative brings together representatives from federal agencies and offers support to city halls, with guidance on public policies and access to resources.
Last month, during a remote participation in the CEO Conference Brasil 2026, promoted by the bank BTG Pactual, Flávio stated that Lula was “a truly expired product”.
“If you compare it to a car, it’s that old Opala, with manual transmission, which was once beautiful, but today it doesn’t take you anywhere and still drinks a lot. The gasoline that President Bolsonaro left in Brazil’s tank, Lula has already drunk all of it. He has completely lost control of our country’s accounts”, said Flávio at the time, addressing an audience made up of members of the financial market.
This Thursday, Lula praised ongoing federal programs and criticized former president Bolsonaro in other situations, comparing government numbers. He also said again that 2026 will be the year “to prove who wins the fight, the truth or the lie.”
“This is not my fight. I’m just the spokesperson. This is your fight, it’s Brazilian society’s. Either we start dismantling the lie or we’re going to stay in this nonsense, the rumor mill, the lie, without any commitment to the truth. This is the year of truth”, stated Lula.
