The senator and pre-candidate for the presidency Flávio Bolsonaro has criticized the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva while commenting on the high number of indebted Brazilians. In remarks to the press, he stated that more than 80 million people have debts and pointed out difficulties even in paying basic bills. He also took aim at the president’s handling of online betting regulations in Brazil.
According to Bolsonaro, the situation is the result of “fiscal mismanagement,” higher taxes, and high interest rates, which, in his view, end up increasing household indebtedness. The senator also linked part of the problem to betting regulation, saying that many Brazilians still believe in betting as a way to make easy money.
“President Lula regulated the betting law, and look at the disaster we’re experiencing today,” he said.
The lawmaker and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro defended creating a more favourable environment for investment and job creation as the way out of the crisis. He also expressed concern about the country’s economic future, citing the need to “straighten out the course” in the coming years.
Bolsonaro’s remarks come as Lula has grown more outspoken about the online gambling market, saying in January that online casinos and betting are “taking over” football, advertising, and fuelling corruption in Brazil. As well as announcing a new debt renegotiation programme Lula has blamed the previous administration for allowing online betting in the first place.
Talking in January during an event in Rio Grande do Sul he said that it was Jair Bolsonaro’s administration that had brought a “casino straight into the homes” of Brazilians by allowing the expansion of online gambling platforms without effective oversight.
Since 2018, online betting has been legalized in Brazil under Law 13.756/2018, which required regulation within two years, with possible extensions. The previous government of Jair Bolsonaro failed to act on this creating a legal vacuum. However, the current administration began regulatory efforts, resulting in Law 14.790/2023 signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in December 2023.
In December, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, announced that he has received his father’s endorsement to run for president in 2026. With elections set for October 4, 2026, he is positioned as the standard-bearer for the far-right Liberal Party (PL).
Jair Bolsonaro is considered the party’s honorary leader, though he cannot hold office until 2030. He was imprisoned for plotting a coup after he lost the country’s last election. Lula who beat Jair Bolsonaro by a thin margin in 2022, is seeking a fourth term in the election.
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The senator and pre-candidate for the presidency Flávio Bolsonaro has criticized the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva while commenting on the high number of indebted Brazilians. In remarks to the press, he stated that more than 80 million people have debts and pointed out difficulties even in paying basic bills. He also took…
The post Online gambling set to be a key issue in upcoming elections in Brazil appeared first on G3 Newswire.