Former Brazilian minister Tarcisio de Freitas, Bolsonarist candidate for governor of Sao Paulo, was forced to interrupt a visit to a favela Monday because of a shooting and an investigation has been launched to determine whether he was the target of the shooting or not Not. “I think it was intimidating to send a clear message from organized crime: They are not welcome here,” said far-right President Jair Bolsonaro’s former infrastructure minister at a news conference. He said he heard gunshots while visiting a university pole social project in Paraisopolis, one of the most densely populated favelas in Sao Paulo, home to more than 100,000 residents.
“No hypothesis excluded”
Tarcisio De Freitas explained that his security team reported to him the presence of motorcyclists who “prowled around the building, took pictures and later returned with weapons”. “No hypothesis has been ruled out,” said Sao Paulo State Security Secretary Joao Camilo Pires, adding that the shooting took place “50 or 100 meters” from where the candidate and his team were found. Footage released in Brazilian media shows Tarcisio de Freitas and his team crouching inside a building to shelter from fire. They were later evacuated and no one was injured. However, a 27-year-old suspect was killed after an exchange of gunfire with police.
“Perhaps the attackers were reacting to the heavy police presence (due to the candidate’s visit) or it was intimidation, we are investigating the issue,” assured Joao Camilo Pires. President Bolsonaro responded immediately from his residence at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia. “We only have preliminary information, I don’t want to speculate. But what happened, whether (an attack) against him (Tarcisio de Freitas) or not, shows that we need to be more concerned about security issues,” the head of state said. Tarcisio de Freitas, who wants to govern Brazil’s richest and most populous state, is up against left-wing candidate Fernando Haddad of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s Labor Party (PT), opponent of Jair Bolsonaro for the presidential election, in the second ballot on October 30.
Contrary to forecasts, the former minister prevailed in the first round of voting on October 2nd. The election campaign is conducted under high tension, the most important presidential candidates always wear bulletproof vests during their public appearances. Four years ago, Jair Bolsonaro was the victim of a knife attack in the middle of a crowd during the 2018 presidential campaign.