Flavio Bolsonaro’s ‘corrupto’ stunt sparks viral meme before Brazil election runoff
Far-right presidential candidate’s TV debate swipe at rival backfires as people take to social media to parody it
TL;DR
- Flavio Bolsonaro wrote 'corrupto' on his palm during a TV debate to attack his rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
- Viewers interpreted the gesture as Bolsonaro admitting his own guilt, leading to a viral social media trend.
- Brazilians began posting photos of their palms with their professions written on them, parodying Bolsonaro's stunt.
- The trend included people from various professions, including nurses, musicians, and politicians.
- Latin America expert James Bosworth called Bolsonaro's move a 'critical error' that created a lasting meme.
- Bolsonaro faces corruption accusations and money-laundering investigations, which he denies.
- Lula challenged Bolsonaro to release banking and phone records to prove their integrity.