A day after leaving the hospital, Bolsonaro is already facing an internal crisis

RIO DE JANEIRO.- A few hours after leaving the hospital, where he was hospitalized for 17 days to restore the intestinal flow due to injuries that he suffered during the attack during the election campaign, the president

Jair Bolsonaro

He has faced an alleged corruption scandal in his party, which has generated divisions within the government and could end with the departure of one of his most powerful ministers.

It all began last Sunday, when the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper revealed that in last year's contest, the Social Liberal Party (PSL) allegedly misappropriated public election funds through candidates serving as screens. to get more resources. Under pressure, the president of the PSL at the time, Gustavo Bebianno, now head of the presidency's general secretariat, denied the irregularities and denied that the case had caused a crisis. of the government. It is more, interviewed by the press, yesterday, while Bolsonaro was still recovering in a San Pablo hospital, Bebianno dismissed any distancing with the agent's general manager and claimed that he had spoken to her three times That day.

The scandal seemed to appease when the next day, one of the president 's sons, Carlos Bolsonaro – a designer in Rio de Janeiro – accused Bebianno of "lying" on social networks and declared that his father did not want to "lie" on social networks and declared that his father did not want to. had not spoken to the minister. The second eldest son of the president, nicknamed "02" and "Pitbull" by his father, was very badly received by the government, especially by military sectors disapproving of the interference of the younger members of the Bolsonaro clan – who were 39 do not have positions in the cabinet – in the affairs of the state.

However, the president not only supported his son on his Twitter account in the afternoon, but at night, in an interview with the TV station Record, he said that he could dismiss Bebianno.

"If he is involved (in the scandal) and logically held responsible, his fate can only be that of returning to his origins," Bolsonaro said, adding that he had asked the federal police and to the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Sergio Moro, who will investigate the issue.

The president's reaction was much less sensitive when last month, suspicions of corruption were raised against his eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro ("01"). Although, at first, he said that Flavio should pay if he was wrong, he then defended it to the letter and tried to calm the case.

For now, Bebianno remains firm in his post and denied his resignation but told his family that he was very disappointed with the reaction of the president, whose political project has been working for more than two years. Although insulted by the president, the leader – one of the key figures of power at Plbadto Palace – has received support from some colleagues, such as the Democrat Party Chief of Staff (DEM), Onyx Lorenzoni, and MP Joice Hbadelmann, of the PSL.

Divisions within Plbadto worry the government's allies. They fear that the public breakdown of the differences will quickly deteriorate the president 's image, especially at a delicate moment, while the Congress is expected to present in the coming days a pension reform project deemed fundamental to stimulate the president. economy. In addition, they warn that if Bebianno ends up leaving his post or being fired from the government, offended by Bolsonaro can become a dangerous antagonist for all the information he deals with.