The possibility of having weapons on the farm and the concern about the invasion of land are two of the main reasons cited by rural leaders to maintain support for a possible reelection candidacy of President Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
National agribusiness leaders heard by the Sheet between April and May also point out as one of its main merits the maintenance of former minister Tereza Cristina (PP-MS) in the Agriculture portfolio.
The defense of family values ​​is also a point mentioned by those who say they support it, although approval to the federal government has been affected by the delay in releasing funds for this year’s Safra Plan.
The corollary of arguments in favor of Bolsonaro among the 12 agro-leaders heard – most on condition of anonymity – includes the fight against the MST (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra), the defense of land exploitation in protected areas in the North region of the country. –such as indigenous lands– and the possibility of maintaining agricultural work during the pandemic, which, according to them, would have avoided even higher inflation in the country.
Inflation reached 12.13% in the 12 months through April, according to the IPCA (Broad Consumer Price Index), the highest level since October 2003, when it reached 13.98%.
“Weapons were essential. Are you on the farm and can’t protect yourself? Not now, you can protect yourself. Farms have a lot of expensive products, especially agricultural pesticides, which are easier to sell. anyone, it gave us more peace of mind to defend our area, the farmer’s patrimony. There are several things that led the farmer to have a good view of the president”, said Rivaldo Machado Borges Júnior, president of ABCZ (Brazilian Association of Breeders de Zebu), organizer of Expozebu, in Uberaba, in the Triângulo Mineiro.
At the opening of the livestock fair, Borges Júnior was unable to make his speech, as the audience present – ​​Bolsonarista groups convened by social networks – asked Bolsonaro to speak.
Borges Júnior’s unread speech contained many excerpts similar to the arguments of ranchers heard by the report at the Minas Gerais fair.
“We have an obligation, at this moment, when the eyes of the world are turning here to Expozebu, in the presence of such important media, to vigorously defend freedom and democracy. We are Brazilians, with pride. We are green and yellow. We cannot forget that. We cannot, at any time, jeopardize the sovereignty of the people. It is unacceptable that in a veiled and silent way they try to preach communism. We are spectators of the failure of countries that disarmed and were invaded, bombed “, said part of the speech.
Among those present at the event in Uberaba, Minas Gerais rancher João Carlos Peixoto said that in the agro, families live together in the countryside and that Bolsonaro has this vision of union.
“Delivering the land titling, as he has done, put an end to landless invasions.
In almost three and a half years in office, Bolsonaro intensified action initiated by Michel Temer (MDB) and transformed the country’s agrarian reform program, by handing over 337,000 titles to settlers, a record, in a policy led by ruralists.
Bolsonaro has responded to the support with frequent visits to agricultural fairs held in the resumption of this year.
In addition to opening Agrishow (International Fair of Agricultural Technology in Action), in Ribeirão, and Expozebu, he visited Expoingá, in Maringá, Feibanana, in Pariquera-Açu, and has a trip planned for the Bahia Farm Show, in LuÃs Eduardo Magalhães (BA), this Tuesday (31).
On the same day, it will participate in the FPA Award ceremony to commemorate ten years of the Forest Code.
The PT pre-candidate, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, for his part, did not attend major events of agribusiness entrepreneurs this year. Ciro Gomes, from PDT, attended Agrishow, but was harassed and involved in discussions with a Bolsonaro supporter. João Doria (PSDB), at the time still in the presidential race, passed through the halls of the event unscathed.
It is common in agro events, and not only in them, Bolsonaro to be accompanied by rodeo announcer Cuiabano Lima, who is also a rural producer and acts as a kind of master of ceremonies in the president’s agendas in which he participates.
“President Jair Messias Bolsonaro is predestined and chosen by God to be in charge of the nation. […] This president supports the humble, the sertanejo, the Brazilian, the measures. There is no mimimi here, there is no political correctness, we have to do what needs to be done and donate to whoever hurts”, said in Uberaba Cuiabano, who is secretary of Tourism in Barretos (427 km from São Paulo) and a of the speakers of the traditional Festa do Peão de Boiadeiro, in the same city.
In this segment, Bolsonaro is also well regarded. He paraded on horseback in the Barretos arena, ironically designed by communist Oscar Niemeyer (1907-2012), and participated in the last in-person events held in the city, where he announced the relaxation of the rodeo law.
He also instituted the National Rodeo Day, on October 4th, the day of the patron saint of animals, Saint Francis of Assisi.
Agribusiness leaders do not complain about the role of the Ministry of Agriculture in the governments of former President Lula –former minister Roberto Rodrigues is praised–, but they do complain about the Environment, which, in their view, interfered a lot in agribusiness affairs.
One of the main complaints regarding Bolsonaro refers to the Safra Plan.
The agricultural machinery industry grew 9% in the first quarter, according to Abimaq (Brazilian Association of the Machinery and Equipment Industry), with an upward bias for the year, but the sector requested the release of R$ 44 billion in agricultural credits via Moderfrota and Pronaf (Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture), with R$ 32 billion for the first program and the remainder for the second.
The request was made a month ago in Ribeirão Preto, but the government’s failure to signal in the following days generated frustration among ruralists who are members of associations.
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