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Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right presidential hopeful stabbed at campaign rally Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right presidential hopeful stabbed at campaign rally
(35 minutes later)
Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right candidate who is leading the polls in Brazil’s presidential race, has been stabbed campaigning in Minas Gerais state just a month before the election. Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right candidate who is leading the polls in Brazil’s presidential race, has been stabbed while campaigning in Minas Gerais state just a month before the election.
Bolsonaro was taken to the Santa Casa de Misericórdia hospital in the town of Juiz de Fora, where a spokeswoman confirmed he was in surgery. Bolsonaro was rushed to the Santa Casa de Misericórdia hospital in the town of Juiz de Fora, about 125 miles (200km) north of Rio de Janeiro, where a spokeswoman confirmed he was in surgery.
Bolsonaro's son Flavio had earlier tweeted that the injury was “only superficial,” but the G1 news site reported that doctors suspected the candidate's liver and intestine could have been injured. Bolsonaro's son Flávio initially described the wound as “only superficial”, but later said that the injuries were more serious, tweeting that the candidate arrived at the hospital “almost dead” after losing a lot of blood.
Videos shared on social media showed the moment Bolsonaro was attacked as he was carried on the shoulders of supporters at an event in the city of Juiz de Fora, about 125 miles (200km) north of Rio de Janeiro, in Minas Gerais state. “Unfortunately it was more serious than we hoped. The stabbing reached part of the liver, the lung and the intestines,” Flávio Bolsonaro tweeted. “His condition now appears to have stabilised. Please pray!”
Videos shared on social media showed the moment Bolsonaro was attacked as he was carried on the shoulders of supporters in Juiz de Fora.
Bolsonaro was waving to the crowd when he suddenly clutched his abdomen and cried out in pain before falling backwards into the arms of those around him. O Globo newspaper reported that he was wearing a bulletproof vest, but was wounded just below it.Bolsonaro was waving to the crowd when he suddenly clutched his abdomen and cried out in pain before falling backwards into the arms of those around him. O Globo newspaper reported that he was wearing a bulletproof vest, but was wounded just below it.
A police spokesman confirmed that the alleged attacker – named as Adelio Bispo de Oliveira – was in custody after he was beaten up by Bolsonaro supporters. A police spokesman confirmed that the alleged attacker – named as Adelio Bispo de Oliveira – was in custody after being badly beaten up by Bolsonaro supporters.
“The Minas Gerais police reacted rapidly, police in uniform who were there arrested the attacker,” said Major Flavio Santiago, a police spokesman. “The Minas Gerais police reacted rapidly. Uniformed officers who were there arrested the attacker,” said Major Flavio Santiago, a police spokesman.
Santiago said such attacks were rare in Brazil. “The candidates adopt in this political process of getting close to their public, they have their security, police are there,” he said. “In Brazil we don’t have the culture of this type of attack, where someone can invade a perimeter and attack a candidate.”  Santiago said such attacks were rare in Brazil. “The candidates in this political process of getting close to their public, they have their security, police are there,” he said. “In Brazil we don’t have the culture of this type of attack, where someone can break through security and attack a candidate.”
In a statement, Federal Police said Bolsonaro “counted on a Federal Police escort when he was attacked by a knife during a public act.” The attacker was arrested and a police inquiry installed, it said. Yet political violence is on the increase in Brazil. In March, Marielle Franco, a Rio de Janeiro city councillor for the leftist Socialism and Freedom party was murdered along with her driver Anderson Gomes in a crime which has yet to be solved.
That same month two buses in a campaign caravan for former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva were hit by gunshots. Lula was not with the convoy at the time.
In an especially unpredictable campaign, Bolsonaro has polarised opinion with his calls for looser gun laws, his attacks on the left and his praise for the military dictatorship that ran Brazil between 1964 and 1985, torturing thousands of its opponents and executing hundreds more.In an especially unpredictable campaign, Bolsonaro has polarised opinion with his calls for looser gun laws, his attacks on the left and his praise for the military dictatorship that ran Brazil between 1964 and 1985, torturing thousands of its opponents and executing hundreds more.
Bolsonaro faces trial before the Supreme Court for speech that prosecutors said incited hate and rape. Bolsonaro faces trial before the supreme court for speech that prosecutors said incited hate and rape.
Yet rising violent crime, anger over repeated corruption scandals and an efficient social media operation have helped him build support, and he is second in the polls to ex-president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has been barred from running because of a criminal conviction for corruption. Lula continues to appeal. Yet rising violent crime, anger over repeated corruption scandals and an efficient social media operation have helped him build support, and he is second in the polls to ex-president Lula, who has been barred from running because of a criminal conviction for corruption although he continues to appeal.
Other candidates quickly denounced the attack.Other candidates quickly denounced the attack.
Fernando Haddad, who is likely to replace Lula as the Workers Party presidential candidate, said the stabbing was a “shame” and a “horror.” Fernando Haddad, who is likely to replace Lula as the Workers party presidential candidate, said the stabbing was a “shame” and a “horror”.
“Politics is done by dialogue and convincing, never with hate,” tweeted Gerado Alckmin, former governor of Sao Paulo who has focused negative ads on Bolsonaro. “Politics is done by dialogue and convincing, never with hate,” tweeted Gerado Alckmin, former governor of São Paulo who has focused negative ads on Bolsonaro.
More details soon … Other candidates also condemned the attack. “I sympathise with my opponent and demand that the authorities identify and punish those responsible for this barbarity,” tweeted Ciro Gomes, a rival leftist candidate to Lula.
“The violence against the candidate Jair Bolsonaro is inadmissible and is a double attack: against his physical integrity and against democracy,” said Marina Silva, an environmentalist and centrist candidate.
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