During the opening session, the former president’s arrest was criticized, as was the veto on the visit of Trump’s advisor.
The event, which brings together the main names on the global right and ultra-right, takes place in Dallas, in the state of Texas, until Saturday (28). Among those confirmed are Brazilian politicians, such as the pre-candidate for President of the PL, Flávio Bolsonaro, and the former federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro.
In recent years, he used to give the closing speech at the event. This year, however, he is not expected to attend, according to a White House official, who justified problems with his schedule and the president’s need to deal with the war in Iran.
At a table on the first day, topics related to international politics were explored, but it was not the only country mentioned at the meeting. Among those present, it was said that European countries are being dominated by the right and that CPAC helps pave the way.
Countries such as England, whose Prime Minister Keir Starmer is progressive, were also criticized. It was said, for example, that the country could face a financial crisis and energy dependence. They also endorsed the re-election, for the fifth time, of Hungary’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán.
“CPAC strongly condemns the continued instrumentalization of lawfare by the president of Brazil, Lula, and STF judge Alexandre de Moraes against former president Jair Bolsonaro and the Brazilian people,” said Merces Schlapss, former communications director at the White House and one of the organizers of the event.
He also stated that Bolsonaro is a “political prisoner”. “The judge [Moraes] transformed the Brazilian Judiciary into a political weapon by imposing unfair convictions, censorship orders and restrictions that turned President Bolsonaro into a political prisoner.”
Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years and 3 months in prison by the Supreme Court for five crimes, as leader of the coup plot related to the acts of January 8, 2023. Seven other defendants were sentenced to imprisonment.
Schlapp continued to criticize the actions of the Judiciary, stating that what has been seen in Brazil is not justice, but the “tyrannical abuse” of power designed to silence the opposition, crush freedom of expression and even “rig the next elections in favor of the Lula regime”.
“CPAC condemns the unprecedented denial of a visit by a US diplomat to Jair Bolsonaro,” said Schlapp.
It was a reference to Darren Beattie, advisor to , who had a trip planned to Brazil in March. First, the visit was authorized, but then it was canceled by the Supreme Court.
Moraes stated at the time that the visit could constitute “undue interference in the internal affairs of the Brazilian State”. He also said that the request did not fit into the objectives officially communicated by the State Department, related to understanding the functioning of the Brazilian electoral system. Furthermore, Beattie was denied a visa by President Lula.
“That American guy who said he was coming here to visit Jair Bolsonaro was banned from visiting and I banned him from coming to Brazil until my Health Minister’s visa is released, which is blocked,” said the PT member.
Darren Beattie is critical of Moraes and the federal government, and his visit would take place in a context in which Brazil believes that Trump may try to interfere in the elections.
