Bolsonaro says he will hold a public consultation on vetoes to the Fake News bill.
A disseminator of fake news, Bolsonaro said that "if the bill arrives in good condition, we will approve it," but if it arrives to him in the form approved by the Senate, he will veto it.
BRASILIA (Reuters) - President Jair Bolsonaro stated this Thursday that he will consult public opinion to decide whether to approve a bill dealing with so-called fake news, but added that if the Chamber of Deputies approves the text sent by the Senate, there will be vetoes.
The president said he was in favor of "total media freedom" and cited a lawsuit he is facing in the Electoral Court due to alleged boosting of messages via an app.
Bolsonaro said that "if the bill arrives in good condition, we will approve it," but if it arrives to him in the form it was approved by the Senate, he will veto it.
"And furthermore: if it passes in the Chamber, which I think is unlikely, but if it does... I have 15 days to approve or veto it. The people, public opinion, will decide which article should be vetoed and which should not," he announced in his traditional Thursday live broadcast on Facebook.
The Chief Executive stated that vetoes are "part of the democratic process," as is Congress's prerogative to try to overturn them. He calculated, however, that the bill passed by a narrow margin in the Senate—the main text was approved by 44 to 32—and that overturning the veto might prove more difficult in this case.
"With all due respect to Parliament... if the bill is approved in the Chamber, and it reaches me, I will hold a public consultation on what should be vetoed or not, and we will veto it," he said.
During its passage through the Senate, the controversial bill garnered both criticism and praise, as well as numerous suggestions.
EMERGENCY AID
In the broadcast, Bolsonaro acknowledged that the federal government is already in debt, but reaffirmed the extension of emergency aid for two more installments of 600 reais.
He took the opportunity to once again ask governors and mayors to loosen social distancing and isolation rules due to the Covid-19 epidemic, in order to reactivate local economies.
“I signed the decree this week, with the presidents of the Chamber and the Senate present, so two more installments of 600 reais,” he said, adding that the government will not be able to “continue” the payments “for much longer.”
He also referred to the tax burden and bureaucracy as major problems in Brazil.
Bolsonaro also announced that he plans to travel to Santa Catarina on Saturday for an overflight of regions affected by the cyclone and said he is available to the governors of the region.