Deutsche Welle accuses JP Cuenca of hate speech. The writer denies the accusation and warns he will take legal action.

247 Deutsche Welle Brazil has dismissed writer João Paulo Cuenca, one of the most respected Brazilian writers in the world and a contributor to the channel. Cuenca paraphrased an 18th-century quote, which was misinterpreted by the German agency, which accused him of spreading "hate speech."

The report from Fórum magazine It highlights that “Cuenca, who adapted a classic 18th-century phrase to criticize the Bolsonaro family on his personal Twitter profile, repudiates the accusations and will sue DW Brasil, which allegedly yielded to pressure from Bolsonaro supporters. 'Brazilians will only be free when the last Bolsonaro is hanged with the entrails of the last pastor of the Universal Church,' Cuenca wrote on his Twitter profile. The message sparked a wave of attacks from Bolsonaro supporters against him on the social network and, according to the writer, even death threats.”

The article further adds that “after the repercussion, Cuenca clarified that, for the purposes of critical satire, he adapted the phrase 'man will only be free when the last king is hanged with the entrails of the last priest,' said by the French Catholic priest and philosopher Jean Meslier in 1761. The message is frequently attributed to the Enlightenment thinker Voltaire and has undergone different adaptations throughout history to reflect other periods of political crisis. The writer also posted on social media that he is used to campaigns for his dismissal by targets of his criticism, which has occurred everywhere he has collaborated, but stressed that he has never seen a media outlet give in 'so quickly and fearfully'.”