Jair Bolsonaro: "I force the Argentines to choose a center-right candidate"

BRASILIA.- In the first interview with an Argentine media since his accession to the presidency of

Brazil

, January 1st

Jair Bolsonaro

he received
THE NATION before his trip to Buenos Aires next Thursday to meet Mauricio Macri.

In an in-depth dialogue in Brasilia, Bolsonaro spoke about the Argentine electoral scene and the candidacy of

Cristina Kirchner

as vice-president, among other topics. "We are forcing the Argentine people to choose a center-right candidate, as Brazil has done," he said.

the elections

Presidential elections of 27 October.

Here, an overview of the interview with the Brazilian President will be published in the morning edition of LA NACION.

-What is the purpose of your first trip to Buenos Aires?

– I was recently with Macri, with whom I committed myself to visit Argentina, a sister country, and we have before us the Mercosur agreement with the European Union. I hope everything will be resolved by then. We will have to see the smallest details to sign the agreement. We will discuss other measures of cooperation, I am going with several ministers: those of the economy, mines and energy. What I want above all is that Argentina continues to defend democracy, freedom and free trade.

-In Argentina, polls showed Cristina Kirchner with chances to defeat Macri in search of re-election. Now she changed the game and was placed as a vice presidential candidate. Do you think that changes something?

-It enters into an almost spiritual question: the

Pope

He can be Argentinian, but God is Brazilian. I hope that the hearts of Argentine voters can be at that moment and that they will really see what future they wish. A people at liberty threatened calls for what is most important for their future. We are forcing the people of Argentina to choose a center-right candidate like Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Peru and Colombia.

-Does this give you more confidence that Cristina Kirchner has become a vice-candidate instead of president?

-Cristina Kirchner was very close to

Lula

[da Silva] and of

Dilma

[Rousseff]. And what Lula and Dilma have defended here, via the Foro de San Pablo, with the unconditional support of [Hugo]

Chávez

, after [Nicolás]

Maduro

and the Cuban dictatorship is an experience we do not want to repeat. I hope that the people of Argentina will think a lot about this during the elections.

-When you were elected, we were expecting a lot better money, but that was not the case. Growth forecasts for this year are very low (1.2%) and unemployment has risen. Is it momentary? Will this improve?

-We only have five months of government. Business clbad is satisfied with us and the steps we take. Changing the direction of the economy does not look like a canoe that gives a shot and changes direction; It's like a big boat, a transatlantic. We take our economy in the center on the right.

– In Venezuela, a Norwegian mediation between the Maduro government and the opposition is under way. Can this be a way to solve the crisis? Can Maduro agree to leave power through mediation?

No Put yourself in Maduro's shoes. The weakness of Maduro strengthens the dictatorship in Venezuela. He is there because he co-opted the army, now headed by drug traffickers. That, in Brazil, the left did not succeed in doing so, despite all the measures taken against us, not even with the lying National Truth Commission, which told stories totally different from those of 1964-1985. In addition to his generals, Maduro has a considerable number of Cubans. Here in Brazil, they tried to do it with the lies of the Más Médicos program. There are also Hezbollah cells, militias, collectives. Maduro is not the head; Maduro is now a puppet in Venezuela.

– How do you then expect that a resolution will be given to the Venezuelan crisis?

– There must be a crack in the leadership of the Venezuelan army. As long as it does not happen, the case does not end. And the big problem is that it can intensify the regime there and turn into North Korea without an atomic bomb. The Russians are also involved because there is oil and gold.

– How do you imagine that Mercosur will develop?

-J & # 39; imagine a strong Mercosur. Little detail is missing for the agreement with the European Union to be given and it will be very good. It will stimulate our economy. We are aware that we can lose some things, but in general, it will be very good for our economies.

– Beyond your criticism of the press. Do you really believe that you are making efforts to pacify the country?

-Yes, I make efforts, I do not attack nor seek division. But there are people who do not love me yet without knowing me.

The full interview with Jair Bolsonaro will be published in the morning edition of LA NACION.