What’s “mitada” and why is it controversial?
Even though this kind of act is very admired and encouraged by Bolsonaro’s supporters, journalists and the Brazilian intellectual elite have a negative outlook on “mitada”.
“Mitada” is a term created by supporters of the Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. Generally, this word is used when Bolsonaro says something that is considered as “spectacular”, “unusual” or “extraordinary” (according to the mentality and outlook of his allies).
When did it start?
Even though there is no official information about the “birth” of the term “Mitada”, some social media professionals claim that the first Bolsonaro’s “Mitada” happened during a discussion with the deputy Maria do Rosário (At the time, Bolsonaro served as a deputy as well). During the argument, he said: “I won’t rape you because you don’t deserve it” and “If you punch me, I will hit you back”.
From this controversial episode, Bolsonaro began to gain relevance into the Brazilian political scenario and attract the conservative audience — especially those who were dissatisfied with representatives of the PT (Workers’ Party), such as former presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rouseff.
Gaining popularity through “Mitadas” (2004–2018)
Between the years 2004–2018, Bolsonaro received more space in traditional media and started to attract more supporters due to his controversial “Mitadas”.
During an interview in the Radio show Pânico (Rádio Jovem Pan), he said: “The biggest mistake during the dictatorship’s period was just to torture and not to kill”. With this statement, Bolsonaro was accused of “showing disrespect to those who had relatives persecuted during the years of the military regime”.
In April 2016, Bolsonaro stood in favor of the impeachment of the then president Dilma Rousseff with a tribute to Colonel Brilhante Ustra, recognized by Justice as a torturer during the military dictatorship. He said: “In the memory of Colonel Carlos Alberto Brilhante Ustra, the dread of Dilma Rousseff […] my vote is yes”.
On the Carandiru Massacre, on October 2, 1992, in which military police officers killed 111 detainees during the crackdown on a rebellion at the São Paulo House of Detention, he said: “Only a few died. The police should have killed even more”.
About the LGBT community, he declared during an interview in 2013: “There is no homophobia in Brazil. The majority of those who die, 90% of homosexuals who die, die in places of drug use, prostitution, or are executed by their partner ”.
During the past 15 years, Bolsonaro has declared several offensive comments against minorities, such as gays, blacks, and indigenous people.
However, despite these aggressive arguments, Bolsonaro frequently criticized corruption and labeled himself as an outsider and an “honest man”. Then, he captured the attention of millions of Brazilians who were upset with PT (Workers’ Party) leadership and was elected president in 2018.
“Mitadas” in Coronavirus times
Bolsonaro won the 2018 national elections and has been running Brazil since January 2019. Since then, he has been involved in several polemics episodes and has declared some negative comments about the economic scenario, the environment, and indigenous activism. He even got involved in a discussion with French President Emmanuel Macron, where he made offensive comments about his wife. Also, Bolsonaro has lost the support of some of his former allies, such as YouTuber Nando Moura (one of the main responsible for his election), deputies Joice Hasselmann and Alexandre Frota and former minister Sergio Moro.
However, Bolsonaro’s “Mitadas” have caused upheaval among the Brazilian population due to his lack of empathy during the pandemic of the new coronavirus.
When the death toll from COVID-19 reached 5,000 people, he said: “So what? … What do you want me to do? I’m a Messiah, but I can’t do miracles.”
In April, Bolsonaro answering a journalist’s question about the number of coronavirus deaths in the country saying that “he was not a gravedigger”.
Why “mitada” is controversial?
According to some Brazilian journalists and social activists, through his “Mitadas” and immature statements, Bolsonaro underestimated the seriousness of the Coronavirus pandemic and encouraged his followers to treat the new disease as a “little flu”.
Stefani Costa (Journalist in the Portuguese website Hedflow) claims: “the hate speech declared by a head of state promotes criminal attitudes. Just look at what is happening to indigenous peoples right now. Bolsonaro, even before being elected, said that in his government, there would be no more demarcation of indigenous lands, and violence against forest populations and environmental crimes in the Amazon has increased significantly. In fact, Jair Bolsonaro was already denounced to the International Criminal Court in November 2019 by the Arns Commission and the Human Rights Advocacy Collective”.
According to Erick Tedesco (Journalist in the Brazilian newspaper Farol da Bahia), Bolsonaro encourages aggressive attitudes and violent behaviors among his followers with his statements: “Being the president of the republic and head of the executive branch (that is, the most important figure in the nation) Bolsonaro has the power to influence people with his attitudes. Even before running for president, he supported hate speech through his background of misogynist, homophobic and racist, and he also persecuted opponents who had different political ideologies. If the president can defend such controversial ideas, an average citizen can think “Why shouldn’t I think the same way too?”. Unfortunately, the population will reproduce his ideas. It is something really serious”.
Because of that behavior, Brazil already has the second-highest number of deaths from COVID-19 worldwide, with more than 88.539 deaths. Also, his aggressive statements disrespect minorities, turning the speech of the population that suffers from discrimination as something of “minor importance”. Undoubtedly, “Mitadas” disrespect human rights, and have already proved to be a threat to Brazilian society.
