Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) again defended this Saturday the choice of a woman to compose his presidential ticket. During an event to launch the pre-candidacy of senator Wilder Morais (PL) for the government of Goiás, the pre-candidate praised his vice-president, Ana Paula Rezende, daughter of former governor Iris Rezende, and stated that he hopes to find a name with a similar profile to run for President alongside him.
— I hope to God, Ana, that I have a deputy as qualified as you. May you be as willing to build the future of Brazil as you are with Goiás — he said, during the meeting in Goiânia, this morning.
The statement comes three days after the release of videos in which former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro claimed to have been disrespected and humiliated by Flávio during a discussion about party decisions. In the video, Michelle stated that the senator said she should stay out of the PL’s decisions because she “didn’t understand anything about politics”, an episode that deepened the tension between the two and mobilized allies to try to contain the effects of the crisis on the pre-campaign.
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The choice of a woman as vice president had already been discussed before the crisis, but has gained new political weight in recent days. Campaign members assess that the composition of the ticket can help reduce Flávio’s resistance among female voters, where the senator records his worst ratings, in addition to reinforcing dialogue with evangelical leaders and increasing the presence of women in the campaign.
As GLOBO showed, the campaign scheduled a meeting in Brasília for next Wednesday to discuss a program aimed exclusively at women. The meeting will bring together right-wing female leaders to present proposals, suggest changes and define a joint dissemination strategy. Among the guests are senator Tereza Cristina (PP-MS) and federal deputies Bia Kicis (PL-DF) and Simone Marquetto (PP-SP).
In addition to participating in the program’s discussion, Bia Kicis, Simone Marquetto and Tereza Cristina appear among the names remembered by allies to occupy the vice position. Each one represents a different profile within the coalition that Flávio is trying to put together. Bia is identified with the more ideological wing of Bolsonarism and remains close to Michelle, which could act as a nod to her stepmother. Simone is seen as a name capable of expanding dialogue with the federation formed by PP and União Brasil. Tereza Cristin has a strong presence in agribusiness and the productive sector, in addition to being a minister in the Jair Bolsonaro government.
