Flávio's ally gives up going to the hearing in the USA after sexist speech about women

He justified that the week's attention should focus on the participation of Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), scheduled for the second day of the hearing, this Tuesday (7).

"The focus of the week should be on @FlavioBolsonaro going to fight against the tariffs that Lula is working so hard on. That's why, instead of participating in the hearing in person, I chose to send my comments in writing. I'm sure that Flavio will shine and represent us."

Figueiredo's withdrawal was announced after the repercussion of a video in which he said that women vote very badly and attacked Michelle Bolsonaro (PL). The former first lady had said she was disrespected and mistreated by Flávio.

The statements generated fear of attrition among female voters in Flávio's campaign and, last week, the senator and pre-candidate declared that he "vehemently repudiated" the Bolsonarist ally's statements.

"I don't agree with what he said, it's completely wrong. He's not part of our campaign. Obviously he's a person who helps us a lot in the United States [] because of that, people try to put a speech in my lap that isn't mine," he stated.

The public hearing is part of the investigation initiated by the USTR (Office of the United States Trade Representative) into commercial practices in Brazil.

The final decision on whether to apply it or not rests with President Donald Trump, after consulting the private sector.

The investigation was launched in July 2025. The targets range from old Washington complaints, such as Brazilian tariffs on ethanol imports, to Pix. In this chapter, the Trump government accused the Central Bank of favoring Pix in an unfair and discriminatory way in relation to other payment methods, in a reference to American card companies.

The report had access to Paulo Figueiredo's written comment filed last week as part of the procedure.

In the text, he asks the Trump administration to suspend the adoption of tariffs and postpone a decision until after the Brazilian presidential elections in October.

Instead of surcharges, he defends the expansion of individual sanctions under the Magnitsky Law against STF ministers, including the resumption of punishments against Alexandre de Moraes and their extension to other members of the First Panel and minister Gilmar Mendes.

Although the document was presented to the USTR, Figueiredo advocates that the American government replace tariffs with instruments such as the Magnitsky Act and visa restrictions, measures whose application is the responsibility of the Treasury Department and the State Department.

President Lula called Flávio a "traitor to the country" after the announcement of the tariff, announced amid calls from his brother Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP) and Figueiredo himself for sanctions to try to reverse Jair Bolsonaro's trial for an attempted coup d'état.

Bolsonaro supporters attribute the price to Lula, arguing that he would not have made an effort to maintain a good relationship with Washington.