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By Reuters
BRASILIA – The president of the far right Brazilian Jair Bolsonaro has canceled a trip to the United States, announced his office Friday, after strong protests against his appointment to the personality of the year by the Chamber of Commerce US-Brazilian.
Due to racist, homophobic and misogynistic remarks from Bolsonaro, organizers have seen several venues in New York refuse to host the gala dinner, including the American Museum of Natural History.
Major sponsors such as Delta Air Lines, the Financial Times and Bain & Co have withdrawn their support for the event this week.
Bolsonaro spokesman, General Otavio Rego Barros, said the president would not attend the dinner because of "resistance and deliberate attacks by the mayor of New York and pressure from interest groups "on its organizers and sponsors.
Delta said it would not sponsor the event anymore, but declined to give more details.
The Financial Times also said that he would no longer be a sponsor of the event, but that he was refusing to give more details.
"We have decided to withdraw our sponsorship from … the 2019 Human Price Gala Dinner," said Bain. "Encouraging and celebrating diversity is a fundamental principle of Bath."
The cancellation is seen as a blow to Bolsonaro, who has been actively seeking to tighten ties with the United States and especially with President Donald Trump, whom he congratulated. The rejection of Bolsonaro by corporate heavyweights also thwarts its promise to increase foreign investment in Brazil.
Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse, Citigroup Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co all declined to say they would give up the event.
On its website, the US-Brazil Chamber of Commerce has stated that it has chosen Bolsonaro as a personality of the year because of its "intention to strengthen the commercial and diplomatic ties between Brazil and the United States. United".
Bolsonaro is loved by his supporters for his opinions expressed on firearms, family values and the army. But his critics accuse him of racism, homophobia and misogyny. He once said that a woman legislator was too ugly to rape and that he would not be able to love a gay son.
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