André do Prado mocks São Paulo senators, saying they are out of touch with voters

André do Prado turned a campaign speech into a pointed jab at São Paulo's three senators, asking the audience to name them before sarcastically suggesting that too many people were answering at once.

The state lawmaker and Senate candidate from the Liberal Party, known as PL, made the remarks on Wednesday at an event in São Caetano do Sul launching state lawmaker Thiago Auricchio's reelection campaign. A local channel, Ponto da Notícia, recorded the speech.

Prado was referring to astronaut Marcos Pontes, his fellow PL member, as well as Mara Gabrilli of the Social Democratic Party and Alexandre Giordano of Podemos. After the question, he promoted his own candidacy and that of Guilherme Derrite of the Progressives, who attended the event.

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It is important to have senators like me and Derrite, who know our powers and who cannot be afraid to vote on impeaching a minister of the Supreme Federal Court.

"We people from São Paulo do not know the names of our three senators. This means the Senate is distant," Prado said. He added that the state needed senators like himself and Derrite, who understood their powers and would not be afraid to vote on impeaching a minister of the Supreme Federal Court.

The criticism echoed an earlier confrontation in the same city. In March, then-PL mayor Tite Campanella said during a municipal council tribute to Derrite that the three senators "count for absolutely nothing." The PL expelled Campanella at Pontes' request in April, and Campanella later joined the Republicans.

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There are three senators who count for absolutely nothing.