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Tossed Glass of Wine Hits Nerve in Brazil Tossed Glass of Wine Hits Nerve in Brazil
(about 4 hours later)
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil is dealing with a severe economic crisis, reports of a surge in birth defects caused by a mosquito-borne virus and efforts to impeach President Dilma Rousseff. RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil is dealing with a severe economic crisis, reports of a surge in birth defects caused by a mosquito-borne virus and efforts to impeach President Dilma Rousseff.
But on Thursday the country’s political elite was obsessed with a squabble during which one of Brazil’s most powerful men insulted one of Brazil’s most powerful women at an event in the capital, Brasília, and got a glass of wine thrown in his face.But on Thursday the country’s political elite was obsessed with a squabble during which one of Brazil’s most powerful men insulted one of Brazil’s most powerful women at an event in the capital, Brasília, and got a glass of wine thrown in his face.
The episode unfolded at a lavish dinner party on Wednesday attended by dozens of senators and Vice President Michel Temer. At one point, José Serra, 73, a senator from São Paulo and a leader of the opposition Social Democracy Party, interrupted a discussion among several senators and Kátia Abreu, 53, the agriculture minister, and told her, “Kátia, they say you’re a woman who likes to date a lot,” using a term that could be roughly translated as “man-eater.”The episode unfolded at a lavish dinner party on Wednesday attended by dozens of senators and Vice President Michel Temer. At one point, José Serra, 73, a senator from São Paulo and a leader of the opposition Social Democracy Party, interrupted a discussion among several senators and Kátia Abreu, 53, the agriculture minister, and told her, “Kátia, they say you’re a woman who likes to date a lot,” using a term that could be roughly translated as “man-eater.”
Ms. Abreu, a conservative cattle rancher and a target of environmentalists’ ire who has expressed ambitions to be president, said she reacted by telling Mr. Serra, a former presidential candidate: “You’re an inelegant, impolite, arrogant man. That’s why you’ll never get to the presidency of the republic.”Ms. Abreu, a conservative cattle rancher and a target of environmentalists’ ire who has expressed ambitions to be president, said she reacted by telling Mr. Serra, a former presidential candidate: “You’re an inelegant, impolite, arrogant man. That’s why you’ll never get to the presidency of the republic.”
Then she tossed the wine in her glass into Mr. Serra’s face.Then she tossed the wine in her glass into Mr. Serra’s face.
The altercation touched a nerve in a country that is examining deeply entrenched traditions of sexist comments and sexual harassment in the wake of an uproar over lewd social-media messages directed at Valentina Schulz, a 12-year-old contestant in a television cooking program. Some Brazilians also pondered what the encounter says about a self-obsessed and increasingly polarized political establishment.The altercation touched a nerve in a country that is examining deeply entrenched traditions of sexist comments and sexual harassment in the wake of an uproar over lewd social-media messages directed at Valentina Schulz, a 12-year-old contestant in a television cooking program. Some Brazilians also pondered what the encounter says about a self-obsessed and increasingly polarized political establishment.
“It’s great that Kátia reacted against a sexist remark, but she went about it the wrong way,” said Kaely Pinto de Souza, 31, a supermarket clerk. She added, “If our own politicians go straight for physical aggression, throwing wine on another’s face, what does that teach the citizens who depend on them as their representatives?”“It’s great that Kátia reacted against a sexist remark, but she went about it the wrong way,” said Kaely Pinto de Souza, 31, a supermarket clerk. She added, “If our own politicians go straight for physical aggression, throwing wine on another’s face, what does that teach the citizens who depend on them as their representatives?”
Left largely unsaid were the political allegiances of Ms. Abreu, a vocal supporter of the beleaguered president, Ms. Rousseff, and Mr. Serra, an outspoken proponent of impeaching her. Other Brazilian politicians have brawled on the floor of Congress recently over moves to impeach Ms. Rousseff and efforts by Eduardo Cunha, the scandal-plagued speaker of the lower house, to avoid stepping down.Left largely unsaid were the political allegiances of Ms. Abreu, a vocal supporter of the beleaguered president, Ms. Rousseff, and Mr. Serra, an outspoken proponent of impeaching her. Other Brazilian politicians have brawled on the floor of Congress recently over moves to impeach Ms. Rousseff and efforts by Eduardo Cunha, the scandal-plagued speaker of the lower house, to avoid stepping down.
Mr. Serra told reporters on Thursday that he apologized to Ms. Abreu, who married Moisés Pinto Gomes, an agronomist, this year. But he qualified that apology by saying he had made a “wisecrack with the intention of flattery.”Mr. Serra told reporters on Thursday that he apologized to Ms. Abreu, who married Moisés Pinto Gomes, an agronomist, this year. But he qualified that apology by saying he had made a “wisecrack with the intention of flattery.”