Presidency candidate said that one cannot “feel sorry” for those who steal cell phones
The pre-candidate for the Presidency, (PL), stated this Monday (June 8, 2026) that Brazil needs to adopt a stricter policy to combat crime, inspired by measures implemented by the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele (Nuevas Ideas, right). The statement was made during the Brasil de Ideias Mulher – Special Elections event, promoted by Grupo Voto.
“So we have an obligation to treat these violent criminals with tougher legislation, yes. That was one point… that’s what I saw in El Salvador. It was the reason why I went to the United States government to ask that the PCC and Comando Vermelho be classified as terrorists”said Flávio Bolsonaro.
The so-called “” is seen by its defenders as a rigorous strategy to combat organized crime, based on the strong reduction in violence rates in El Salvador. His critics, on the other hand, claim that these results were achieved at the cost of weakening the rule of law and individual guarantees.
Since Nayib Bukele’s election in 2019, the number of homicides has fallen by 97%, according to official data, going from 3,346 cases in the year before his inauguration to 114 in 2024.
One of the symbols of Salvadoran politics is the Cecot (Terrorism Confinement Center), opened in 2023 and presented by the government as the largest maximum security prison in the Americas, which gained international recognition due to the images of inmates published on social media.
When defending harsher penalties, Flávio said that he does not have to “to feel sorry”, for example, from those who steal cell phones. He argued that criminals evaluate the chances of punishment before committing crimes and that tightening laws could reduce crime.
“So I think this has an educational function at first, because they see that the certainty of impunity will come to an end. What is their calculation? ‘If I steal my cell phone here, what is the risk of me being arrested? None. If I am arrested, what happens to me? I go to a custody hearing and I am released. I will steal’. But for that we need to build, yes, more prisons”said the senator.
BRAZIL OF WOMAN IDEAS
The event marked the 1st edition of Brasil de Ideias Mulher – Special Elections, promoted by Grupo Voto, and brought together female leaders to debate the country’s challenges and perspectives. Laura Regenin and Karim Miskulin from Grupo Voto participated in the meeting; Raquel Reis, CEO of SulAmérica; and Misa Antonini, executive at G4 Educação.
Also present were the federal deputy (PL-SP), the first lady of the city of São Paulo, Regina Nunes, wife of the mayor (MDB), and Fernanda Bolsonaro, wife of the senator and pre-candidate for the Presidency Flávio Bolsonaro.
