The true betrayal of the homeland

Donald Trump, Eduardo and Flávio Bolsonaro, and Paulo Figueiredo in the White House's Oval Office on May 2026 -- public domain image

By Urariano Mota

These days, Brazilian President Lula was precise and eloquent when referring to the MP on leave of absence, Eduardo Bolsonaro:

“He is betraying the country. This is true betrayal of the homeland. He went to the United States to incite the Americans against us”.

Indeed, there is a cynical betrayal in these new ‘Corporal Anselmos’. Before, betrayal was concealed; it was secret. Later, in the subsequent democracy, it was denied. But now, the cynicism of the far right, under the stench of Trump, is akin to the perverse and criminal acts of Corporal Anselmo during the dictatorship.

Let me explain. Corporal Anselmo’s defining characteristic was that he was a degenerate liar. To begin with, he lied about his own name: he was Daniel, as he introduced himself in Recife, or Jadiel, or Jônata. That was the least of it. But where he really went to extremes with his acting skills – and not just in his words – was in the coldness and cynicism with which he referred to his greatest crime: the handing over of his pregnant partner, Soledad Barrett – who was carrying his child – to the repressive forces. In more than one interview, when faced with reporters aligned with the right or lacking historical understanding, he spoke of this great warrior with the venom of a serpent.

In an interview on the television programme Roda Viva, he spoke about his partner as follows:

“Soledad was the daughter of Paraguayan communist leaders. She went to Cuba to train as a communist agent anywhere in the world. Who chose to take that risk? Who chose to take up arms?” Therefore, the blame for the pregnant guerrilla fighter’s fate was not of his own making. It was that of the victim, who dared to fight against fascism.

Now, notice the similarity between Corporal Anselmo and Eduardo Bolsonaro in the new criminal’s interview with the BBC:

BBC News Brazil: "Some studies suggest that the tariffs announced by Donald Trump could affect up to 700,000 jobs in Brazil. There are cases of coffee, beef and honey producers who may lose their entire output – which was previously destined for export to the United States – and this could have a profound impact on their lives. How do you feel knowing that your actions could end up harming these people’s lives? "

Eduardo Bolsonaro: "It’s not my doing. It’s the regime’s doing... Brazil is behaving more like Venezuela than like the United States. A dictatorship deserves to be sanctioned. I’m not the one responsible.

The person responsible for all this is Lula, who supports the regime led by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. And Brazilians are realising that a sacrifice must be made.

I am not concerned with electoral calculations or whether this will increase or decrease my popularity. I am concerned about my country’s freedom, and freedom comes before the economy...

I’m worried that Brazil will consolidate this regime and end up living for decades just like Cuba, just like Venezuela. If we reach that point, Brazil will look back fondly on a massive 50 per cent tariff.”

Previously, Corporal Anselmo justified denouncing brave resistance fighters on the grounds that they were communists, enemies of the family and of Christ. Now, Eduardo Bolsonaro and his brother Flávio, the whole clan of fascists is repeating the same arguments, but with implications for the entire Brazilian people. Yet once again, the blame does not lie with him, Eduardo Bolsonaro, the new breed of patriot.

But what does ‘homeland’ mean to him?

I’ve been thinking about it just now and I’ve come to realise that the homeland is the community we care about. The homeland is the friends and relatives we love. The homeland is the place in our hearts where our love resides.

A very different kind of homeland, a far cry from the jungle of crimes committed by fascists of Bolsonaro’s ilk. And ongoing crimes, such as those committed by the torturers of the dictatorship who have hidden their victims’ bodies to this day. President Lula is, once again, spot on. We must immediately revoke the mandate of this so-called patriot who is selling out the nation to the interests of the US government. We must punish this bitch of fascism who remains in heat.

Urariano Mota is a writer and journalist, author of the novels "Soledad in Recife" and "Never-Ending Youth" which narrate the Brazilian dictatorship.

See also: Betrayal and love between Soledad Barrett and Corporal Anselmo during the Brazilian dictatorship