Flávio Bolsonaro's 'belated repudiation' of his advisor's sexist remarks and the political calculation

Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, a presidential pre-candidate for the Liberal Party (PL), has adopted a new tactic in his campaign: a "belated repudiation." This strategy emerged after his political advisor, Paulo Figueiredo, made widely criticized sexist remarks about women's voting habits.

Figueiredo, a staunch supporter of the Bolsonaro brothers, stated in a live broadcast on June 25 that "women vote statistically badly." When faced with negative repercussions, he doubled down on June 29, asserting, "Women vote really badly. Change my opinion."

“

I want to vehemently repudiate Paulo Figueiredo's remarks about women. I do not agree with what he said. It is completely mistaken... I am not responsible for what he says, but I have an obligation to speak here. I felt offended by the statement because he generalizes and speaks about women, including [affecting] my wife.

Bolsonaro's response came six days later, on Wednesday, after a meeting with female leaders from his own party, the Republicanos, and the PP, which reportedly became a fiasco due to the controversy. Speaking from the United States, Bolsonaro stated, "I want to vehemently repudiate Paulo Figueiredo's remarks about women. I do not agree with what he said. It is completely mistaken... I am not responsible for what he says, but I have an obligation to speak here. I felt offended by the statement because he generalizes and speaks about women, including [affecting] my wife."

Despite his eventual statement, Bolsonaro's delay in addressing the issue, which had dominated social media and political discussions, has drawn criticism. His communication team had been contacted by the press on Monday but offered no immediate response, leading to the conclusion that "silence implies consent." Bolsonaro later posted a video on social media with a mild tone, avoiding direct mention of indignation and appearing to sidestep the issue. Figueiredo, in turn, claimed on social media that he is not part of the pre-campaign, attempting to create distance.

“

Who runs for elected office has the mission to convince them, to break prejudices that may exist against our political group and prove that we can be much better for them than the left was in 20 years. Come with faith that Brazil has a future!