After police action in SP, Flávio suggests state persecution of 'Dark Horse' to influence elections

Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, a presidential hopeful, on Monday suggested that a police operation targeting the production company behind the film "Dark Horse" and the São Paulo City Hall could be a "state persecution" aimed at influencing upcoming elections. Bolsonaro expressed confidence in Mayor Ricardo Nunes' administration while casting doubt on the actions of "part" of the Civil Police, which is linked to Governor Tarcísio de Freitas.

"I just hope it's not state persecution by some sectors to influence the elections," Bolsonaro said, referring to the action against Go UP Entertainment. The company produced "Dark Horse," a film about Jair Bolsonaro, and its owner also heads an institute that secured a R$108 million contract with the São Paulo City Hall to implement Wi-Fi in underserved communities.

Speaking at an agribusiness event in Belo Horizonte, Bolsonaro defended Nunes' administration, whose secretariat was among those targeted by the police operation. "There is absolutely nothing wrong, I trust the work of the São Paulo City Hall, everything was explained, something well before the film ['Dark Horse']," he stated. São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes also suggested earlier that the operation might have been motivated by political persecution.

Other presidential hopefuls, Ronaldo Caiado and Romeu Zema, had no comment on the operation. Caiado stated the matter was not on his agenda, while Zema said he was unaware of the news. Bolsonaro also claimed that the attention on the film and funds received by its production were a "smokescreen" for national issues, such as the Correios' billion-dollar loss.