Watchdog Groups say Brazil’s far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro has wasted no time showing his resentment to the independent News Media, raising fears for the press under his administration.
International Media Associations are just the latest group to Voice concern about the Latin American giant’s future under the former Army Captain, who has made derogatory comments against women, gays and blacks, and defends the use of torture by Brazil’s brutal military dictatorship (1964-1985).
The media controversy blew up after President Bolsonaro threatened in one of his first interviews as president-elect to cut state advertising in newspapers or broadcasters that “behave disgracefully.”
That prompted the Inter American Press Association to say it was worried over “reprisals Brazil’s president-elect would take against the press.”
The Brazilian Investigative Journalism Association said it was fearful for the future given Bolsonaro’s comments, and the National Newspaper Association also registered its disapproval.
