Bolsonaro says he will either be arrested, killed or win Brazil’s next election

By Duarte Mendonca, CNN

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has said he sees only three possibilities for his future: death, prison or winning the 2022 presidential elections.

“I have three alternatives for my future: being arrested, killed or victory,” Bolsonaro said Saturday in remarks to a meeting of evangelical leaders that were broadcast on social media.

“I’m certain that the first alternative, being arrested, won’t happen. No man on Earth scares me. I’m conscious that I’m doing the right thing. I owe nobody anything,” added Bolsonaro, who was stabbed in the stomach during a campaign rally in 2018.

Bolsonaro was in the central Brazilian state of Goias to meet with political leaders and businessmen to discuss national affairs, such as the economy, the pandemic situation and the prolonged drought in Brazil.

“We are also facing one of the biggest hydrological crises in Brazil, which will partly affect our agriculture and has affected energy generation, but God willing, the rains in September, October, are coming,” Bolsonaro said.

Bolsonaro also mentioned an indigenous protest taking place in the capital, claiming not to understand the reasons for the demonstrations.

“There are now approximately 5,000 people camped in Brasília. The vast majority, almost all, don’t know what they are doing there,” Bolsonaro asserted.

“They are people that are gathered by the MST (Rural Landless Workers Movements), people that are gathered by Cimi (Indigenous Missionary Council, linked to the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil), indigenous people who are there protesting against no one knows what,” Bolsonaro added.

The demonstrations come as Brazil’s Congress considers a bill that would limit the rights of indigenous peoples to claim traditional lands, a matter also being considered by the Supreme Court. Human Rights Watch says the proposed law violates the rights of indigenous peoples under international law.

A Datafolha poll from July 7 and 8 currently shows Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly raised doubts about the electoral system, more than 20 points behind his main opponent, former leftwing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in a first round of voting.

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