Journalist Vera Magalhães was once again the victim of verbal aggression during a political debate between candidates for the São Paulo government on Tuesday evening (13). During an event hosted by the newspapers Folha de São Paulo, Uol and TV Cultura, she was approached by state MP Douglas Garcia (Republicans) who called the professional “a disgrace to Brazilian journalism”. On 28 August, during a presidential debate on Bandeirantes TV, the same proposal was made to Magalhaes by President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), who is seeking re-election this year.
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On her Twitter profile, Vera Magalhaes spoke about the case. “I sat in the front row and looked at my cell phone. I’m going to file a threat report with MP Douglas Garcia (LP). There are hundreds of witnesses. He took advantage of the invitation of Tarcisio Freitas staff to the debate only to lie, harass and threaten me,” he said. Judging by the images that recorded this event, Douglas Garcia approached the journalist with a mobile phone in his hand, filming insults and provocations against the professional. The mediator of the debate, journalist Leão Serva, intervened and took the cell phone out of the MP’s hands, throwing the device away.
In his statement, Tarcisio Freitas said that he regrets the aggression suffered by Vera Magalhaes and rejects it. Garcia’s position, he said, is incompatible with democracy and does not correspond to what is being advocated regarding the work of the press. Other public figures, such as São Paulo Governor Rodrigo Garcia, also expressed their solidarity with the professional. “I completely reject the cowardly attack that journalist @veramagalhaes was subjected to after the debate on the Culture TV channel, by a guy who does not represent democratic values or the people of São Paulo. My solidarity with you, Vera,” the governor wrote in a Twitter post.
In addition to commenting on the professional activities of the journalist, MP Douglas Garcia also lied about the alleged contract she signed for 500,000 reais. The guards were supposed to escort Magalhain from the Latin America Memorial, and he said he would file a police report against the congressman. “Such a posture on the part of a parliamentarian is unacceptable, unbearable in a democracy. It will not be one or two bullies who will intimidate me so that I continue to do my job, ”the journalist shared.
