Brazilian President Bolsonaro 'Unloads' On Left-wing Reporter Over Corona-Mask Mandates Question

Jair Bolsonaro participated last week in a motorcycle rally in Sao Paola state which has imposed local mandatory use of sanitary masks both indoors and outdoors in public spaces. Apparently he was not wearing a mask, and Police fined him 552.71 reais ($108.88).

Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria, a potential rival to Bolsonaro in the 2022 presidential election, has enthusiastically embraced mask mandates, lockdowns, and mandatory vaccination. 

On Monday, Laurene Santos, a reporter for the Globo subsidiary TV Vanguardia, asked Bolsonaro during a press conference, why he was not wearing a mask.

“I show up how I want, where I want – I take care of my own life,” Bolsonaro said in response to why he did not wear a mask initially. “If you don’t want to use a mask, don’t use it.”

The president agitatedly then took his mask off, asking the reporter, “Are you happy now? Are you happy now?” and told the reporter to “shut up.”

“That Globo is a shitty media [outlet]. You guys are a crap outlet. Shut up, you guys are bastards. You do bastard journalism that doesn’t help at all,” Bolsonaro railed. “You don’t help at all. You destroy the Brazilian family, you destroy Brazilian religion. You’re useless. If you listen to Globo, you will not be informed. If you listen, you are misinformed. You should be ashamed of providing a dirty service like you do in the Globo network. Thank you.”

The Globo network issued a statement in support of Santos and accusing Bolsonaro of “abusing” her.

“The president told the reporter to shut up and insulted Globo with profanity,” the statement read in part. “Globo and TV Vanguardia repudiate the president’s treatment of reporters Laurene Santos, who was jus2t doing her professional duty. The president will not be able to, with yelling and intolerance, impede or inhibit the work of our agency in Brazil. Unlike him, this [media outlet] will continue to fulfil its role serenely,” the media organizations promised.

Like United States 45th president Donald Trump, the Brazilian president has long maintained a contentious relationship with the left-wing mainstream media. Bolsonaro who himself recovered from the chinese coronavirus is also not a fan of mask mandates and lockdowns.