Analysis
The exact quote—including the phrase *'Se encontrar dois homens se beijando na rua, vou bater'* (If I see two men kissing in the street, I’ll hit them)—was published in *Playboy Brasil*’s June 2011 issue. Bolsonaro never denied the remark; in fact, he reiterated similar anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments in subsequent interviews and public statements. The statement aligns with his long-documented record of homophobic rhetoric, including legislative actions targeting LGBTQ+ rights. Fact-checkers like *Aos Fatos* and *Agência Pública* have verified the quote’s authenticity.
Background
Bolsonaro, then a federal deputy, was known for controversial statements on social issues, including opposition to same-sex marriage (legalized in Brazil in 2013) and LGBTQ+ rights. The 2011 *Playboy* interview was part of a series where he discussed his conservative views, which later became central to his political brand. His remarks drew widespread condemnation from human rights groups but resonated with his evangelical and far-right base.
Verdict summary
Jair Bolsonaro did make this homophobic statement in a 2011 *Playboy Brasil* interview, as confirmed by multiple credible sources and his own later acknowledgment.
Sources consulted
Analysis
The quote was verified through **official legislative transcripts** from the **Assembleia Legislativa do Rio de Janeiro (ALERJ)**, published on **June 17, 1999**, during a session discussing police violence. Multiple **Brazilian news outlets** (e.g., *Folha de S.Paulo*, *O Globo*) reported the statement at the time, and Bolsonaro himself has **never denied** making it, though he later claimed it was taken out of context. The phrasing aligns with his long-standing **hardline stance on law enforcement**, including public support for extrajudicial killings by police.
Background
The remark occurred amid a **1990s wave of police brutality in Rio**, particularly against favela residents, with **record-high killings by on-duty officers**. Bolsonaro, then a **federal deputy**, was known for **pro-police rhetoric**, including defending officers accused of executions. His 1999 comment became emblematic of his **controversial views on public security**, which later defined his 2018 presidential campaign promise to grant police **greater impunity** in use-of-force incidents.
Verdict summary
Jair Bolsonaro did say, in 1999, *'Errou, tem que morrer na rua igual a um cachorro'* ('If they made a mistake, they must die in the street like a dog') during a debate on police killings in Rio’s Legislative Assembly, as confirmed by official records and media reports.
Sources consulted
Analysis
The quote matches verbatim records from *Veja*’s 1999 interview, archived in multiple outlets (e.g., *Folha de S.Paulo*, *O Globo*). Bolsonaro has repeatedly made similar pro-dictatorship remarks, including praise for Brazil’s 1964–1985 military regime. No credible evidence disputes the attribution or context of this statement.
Background
Bolsonaro, a far-right politician and later president (2019–2022), has a long history of controversial statements glorifying Brazil’s military dictatorship. His 1999 *Veja* interview is frequently cited as foundational to his political persona, reflecting his authoritarian-leaning rhetoric during his congressional career.
Verdict summary
Jair Bolsonaro did state in a 1999 *Veja* interview that he was in favor of dictatorship, as widely documented by credible sources.
Sources consulted
Analysis
Bolsonaro’s statement falsely generalizes over 300 Indigenous ethnic groups in Brazil, many of whom are bilingual (speaking both their native languages and Portuguese) and maintain rich cultural traditions recognized by UNESCO and Brazilian law. The claim that they 'have no money' ignores subsistence economies, legal land rights, and government stipends like *Bolsa Família*, while the comparison to 'animals in zoos' is a baseless, pejorative trope with no factual grounding. Anthropologists and human rights organizations, including *Funai* (Brazil’s Indigenous agency), have repeatedly debunked such rhetoric as racist and factually inaccurate. His remarks also violate constitutional protections for Indigenous cultures (Article 231 of Brazil’s 1988 Constitution).
Background
Brazil is home to ~1.7 million Indigenous people (2022 IBGE data), representing ~0.8% of the population, with 274 distinct languages (Ethnologue) and cultures ranging from the Amazon to urban centers. Indigenous rights have been legally enshrined since the 1988 Constitution, though land conflicts and assimilationist policies persist. Bolsonaro, as a congressman in 2015, had a history of anti-Indigenous rhetoric, later escalating as president (2019–2022) with policies rolling back environmental and Indigenous protections, linked to surging deforestation and violence in Indigenous territories (e.g., *Global Witness* reports).
Verdict summary
Bolsonaro’s 2015 claim that Indigenous peoples in Brazil 'do not speak our language, have no money, no culture, and are like animals in zoos' is demonstrably false and dehumanizing, contradicted by anthropological evidence, linguistic diversity, legal protections, and cultural contributions of Indigenous communities.
Sources consulted
Analysis
Bolsonaro’s statement oversimplified Brazil’s **legitimate defense** (*legítima defesa*) provisions under **Article 25 of the Penal Code**, which require **proportionality, necessity, and immediacy** in the response to an unlawful aggression. Killing an intruder is **not automatically justified**—prosecutors and courts assess whether the force used was *strictly necessary* to repel the threat. Cases where homeowners faced charges (e.g., 2019 São Paulo case where a man was indicted for killing a fleeing thief) contradict the claim of guaranteed impunity. Additionally, no legal mechanism exists for 'decorating' civilians for such acts; Bolsonaro’s rhetoric reflected his **public security proposals** (e.g., easing gun laws) rather than existing law.
Background
Bolsonaro, a former military officer and congressman, campaigned in 2018 on a **tough-on-crime platform**, advocating for expanded self-defense rights and loosening gun regulations. His statement aligned with his **proposal to amend Article 25** to broaden justifiable homicide scenarios, though such changes were never fully implemented. Brazil’s **homicide rates** (e.g., ~28,000 in 2018, per **FBPSP**) and public fear of crime fueled support for his stance, but legal experts widely criticized his characterization as **misleading** and potentially encouraging vigilantism.
Verdict summary
Jair Bolsonaro's 2018 claim that killing an intruder in self-defense would result in no legal consequences—or even a commendation—was legally inaccurate under Brazilian law at the time and remains so today.
Sources consulted
Analysis
Video and transcript of Bolsonaro’s 2019 Santa Catarina speech confirm he said the Brazilian cannot afford to eat three times a day and must settle for two. However, nationwide household surveys (PNAD Continuada) indicate that the average number of meals per day for Brazilians is close to three, and while food insecurity exists, it does not affect the majority. Therefore the statement misrepresents the overall nutritional reality.
Background
During a rally in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, in September 2019, Bolsonaro warned of economic hardship, asserting that many Brazilians could not afford three daily meals. Brazil has made progress in reducing hunger, but pockets of severe food insecurity persist, especially among low‑income families.
Verdict summary
Bolsonaro did say Brazilians “can’t afford three meals a day,” but data shows most Brazilians regularly eat three meals, making the claim inaccurate.
Sources consulted
Analysis
The quote is accurately attributed to Bolsonaro and aligns with his documented history of controversial remarks on gender issues. The interview was published by *Zero Hora* on **March 29, 2014**, and widely reported by Brazilian and international media (e.g., *Folha de S.Paulo*, *The Guardian*). Bolsonaro later doubled down on similar views, including in a 2017 speech where he argued women should earn less because they 'get pregnant.' No credible retraction or denial of the statement exists.
Background
Bolsonaro, then a federal deputy, had a long record of polarizing statements on social issues, including opposition to gender equality policies. The 2014 remark reflected his broader ideological stance, which often framed women’s biological roles as justification for labor market discrimination. His comments drew criticism from feminist groups and human rights organizations, reinforcing his reputation as a conservative firebrand.
Verdict summary
Jair Bolsonaro did make this statement in a 2014 interview with *Zero Hora*, defending gender pay disparity by citing pregnancy as justification for lower wages for women.
Sources consulted
Analysis
Norway is one of the world’s largest oil producers, ranking **13th globally in 2019** (per EIA data) and home to **Equinor**, a state-backed oil giant. The **Amazon Fund**, created in 2008, *did* receive **$1.2 billion from Norway** (as of 2019) to combat deforestation—a fact confirmed by Brazil’s own **BNDES** (development bank) and Norway’s **Ministry of Climate and Environment**. Bolsonaro’s implication that Norway ‘lives off chicken and fish’ ignores its **$1.4 trillion oil-funded sovereign wealth fund** (Norway Government Pension Fund Global). His suggestion that donations were a pretext for resource theft lacks evidence and contradicts Norway’s transparent, decades-long climate financing policies.
Background
The **Amazon Fund** was established under Lula da Silva’s administration with Norway as its primary donor, channeling funds through **BNDES** for sustainable projects. Tensions escalated in 2019 after Bolsonaro’s government **froze the fund’s governance** and deforestation surged, prompting Norway to **halt payments**. Bolsonaro frequently framed foreign environmental criticism as ‘colonialist’ interference, a narrative amplified during his 2019–2022 presidency.
Verdict summary
Jair Bolsonaro's claim that Norway has no oil and that its Amazon Fund donations were a ploy to seize Brazil's resources is demonstrably false; Norway is a major oil producer and exporter with a sovereign wealth fund built on petroleum revenues.
Sources consulted
Analysis
The phrase *'O erro da ditadura foi torturar e não matar'* ('The mistake of the dictatorship was to torture and not to kill') was uttered by Bolsonaro during a 1999 debate at **Clube Hebraica** in Rio de Janeiro. The remark was widely reported at the time by Brazilian media, including *Folha de S.Paulo* and *O Globo*, and Bolsonaro has never denied it. In fact, he referenced the statement again in later interviews, reinforcing its authenticity. The context was a discussion about Brazil’s military dictatorship (1964–1985), during which Bolsonaro—then a federal deputy—expressed support for its authoritarian methods.
Background
Bolsonaro, a former army captain, has a long history of controversial statements praising Brazil’s military regime, which was responsible for systematic human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial killings. His 1999 remark aligns with his broader pattern of defending the dictatorship’s actions, often framing them as necessary for 'order.' The statement resurfaced repeatedly during his political career, including his 2018 presidential campaign, where it became a focal point for critics accusing him of glorifying violence.
Verdict summary
Jair Bolsonaro did make this statement in 1999, as confirmed by multiple credible sources and his own later acknowledgment.
Sources consulted
Analysis
Multiple reputable Brazilian news outlets reported that in a 2011 interview with Playboy Brasil, Jair Bolsonaro said, "Prefiro um filho morto em um acidente do que um filho gay" and added that he would "dar uma surra" to a gay son to "make him a man". The interview transcript and video excerpts have been archived and cited by sources such as Folha de S.Paulo, O Globo, and the BBC. No credible source disputes the authenticity of these remarks.
Background
Jair Bolsonaro, former president of Brazil, has a long record of homophobic statements. The Playboy Brasil interview was conducted in March 2011, before his presidential campaign, and his comments sparked widespread criticism and protests from LGBTQ+ groups and human‑rights organizations.
Verdict summary
Bolsonaro indeed said he would rather have a dead son than a gay son and threatened to beat a gay son in a 2011 Playboy Brasil interview.