Bolsonaro Claims Calling Greenwald “Scoundrel” Not Criminal Offense

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Over a month after being summoned, President Jair Bolsonaro responded to an appeal from journalist Glenn Greenwald of The Intercept Brasil, stating that he did not commit any offences by calling him a “malandro” (scoundrel) for adopting Brazilian children.

In July last year, the president said that the American would not be affected by an ordinance that provided for the expulsion of “dangerous people from Brazil”. He added: “Also because he is married to another man and has adopted children in Brazil. He’s a scoundrel because he did this to prevent it [the expulsion from the country] by marrying another scoundrel and adopting children in Brazil”.

STF Justice Rosa Weber, who was selected to review the appeal, summoned Bolsonaro so that he would clarify “words typified by dubiousness, equivocality or ambiguity”, in accordance with the law.

In his statement, the president said he was confident because from his comments “one cannot conclude the attribution of any crime, nor the intention to insult the honor of others, which is why I should not answer for any of the conducts provided for by law,” such as insult or slander.

Bolsonaro further stated that the speech he made is political, “without any unlawful content, which does not fit into any conduct provided for in the Penal Code”.

The president also said he made the statements based on the constitutional right of free expression of opinion.

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