Bolsonaro must be defeated in the first round.

I disagree with those who argue that it's better for Bolsonaro to advance to the second round than Alckmin because it will be easier to defeat him than the former governor of São Paulo. Yesterday's interview on Roda Viva convinced me that it's necessary to prevent him from reaching the second round. And this task, I believe, is not only the PT's responsibility, but that of all those who defend democracy, because his rise will be the destruction of everything built by the New Republic. All candidates should repudiate this candidate of the dictatorship. He represents the end of what little remains of democracy.

The task falls primarily to the PT (Workers' Party) because the PT will be the first to be affected if Bolsonaro wins. He said yesterday that he will treat the MST (Landless Workers' Movement) as a terrorist group. He had no qualms about saying, in the house where journalist Vladimir Herzog worked, that his death by torture is nothing more than a suspicion. His vulgar language offends the dignity and intelligence of Brazilians. All the racist, homophobic, and misogynistic offenses and insults that he has made left and right, and for which he is being investigated, he defined as jokes.

"We must put an end to social democracy," he shouted at one point, making it clear that his target is not just the left.

The most repugnant moment of the program occurred when the former minister and human rights activist, José Gregori, asked, in a recorded scene, if it was true that he had told a magazine that Fernando Henrique and he, Gregori, should be shot. Maintaining his nervous, hyena-like grin, Bolsonaro could have used the opportunity to redeem himself, to apologize to both, at least given their advanced ages. But no. He only confirmed having threatened FHC, but not Gregori, a "minor guerrilla" who "didn't deserve to be shot."

Gregori was never a terrorist. This was just another slanderous statement made by the candidate. Coincidentally, he used the same expression he used to offend congresswoman Maria do Rosário:

"You don't deserve to be raped."

The grim grand finale was yet to come. Once the journalists had exhausted their questions, the moderator launched into a series of seemingly innocuous questions to define his cultural profile.

"What's your favorite book?" he asked.

"The Suppressed Truth".

"Who is the author?"

"Carlos Alberto Brilhante Ustra".

Praising the torturer who commanded the DOI-Codi, where Vlado Herzog was cowardly murdered during a torture session, is definitive. To glorify the person responsible for this and other crimes against humanity is the same as torturing Vlado again.

With each response, each gesture, each hysterical laugh, I told myself: this man cannot be president of Brazil. We cannot risk going through this embarrassment.

"Choosing" this enemy of democracy to advance to the second round, that is, attacking him more than Alckmin, is an immense risk for all candidates. It's important to remember that even the losers form alliances. And the risk of Alckmin and his centrist allies joining forces with Bolsonaro is immense. If not as a bloc, at least in part. And this could unbalance the outcome. Especially if the opponent isn't Lula.