Has Brazil found its own Pepe Mujica?
Presidential candidate Eduardo Jorge, from the Green Party, embraced the Uruguayan agenda, advocating for the legalization of drugs and abortion; yesterday, during the presidential debate on Band TV, he stated that the current abortion legislation is "cruel"; the candidate also defends the legalization of marijuana use; the president of Uruguay, Pepe Mujica, became known worldwide for similar ideas: he decriminalized abortion in the country and legalized the cultivation and use of marijuana; Eduardo Jorge's speech generated significant repercussions on social media on Tuesday night.
247 - Among the many facts that drew attention in last night's debate on TV Band, one was certainly the speech by the Green Party candidate, Eduardo Jorge. The environmentalist raised controversial issues, such as defending the legalization of abortion – believing it is unacceptable for the practice to be considered a crime in a country like Brazil – and the use of marijuana, with one caveat: "with prevention and treatment work".
He was the one who raised the discussion about abortion, asking the PSDB candidate, Aécio Neves, what he intended to do with the legislation. The senator from the PSDB party replied: "I prefer to keep the legislation as it is." Irritated in his rebuttal, Eduardo Jorge declared that "the current legislation is cruel." Eduardo Jorge says that Brazilian women who have abortions suffer in secrecy and are still labeled as criminals.
Regarding marijuana, the candidate, who mentioned during his introduction that he has been a doctor for 40 years, said he is in favor of legalization as a way to end drug trafficking. According to him, the current anti-drug policy only benefits crime bosses. As for crack cocaine, he stated he is against legalization. In his closing remarks, Eduardo Jorge advocated for a culture of "peace and love."
The candidate's stance is reminiscent of Uruguayan President Pepe Mujica, who is world-famous for the same causes. He made Uruguay the second country in Latin America to decriminalize abortion (Cuba was the first) and, last year, legalized the use of marijuana and the cultivation of small quantities of the herb.
The flags and witty way of expressing himself of the Green Party candidate generated a great deal of repercussion on social media, with dozens of memesThe phrase "Esse Eduardo Jorge" (That Eduardo Jorge) was the second most discussed topic worldwide on Twitter. Internet users also pointed out similarities between Eduardo Jorge and the PSOL presidential candidate in 2010, Plínio de Arruda Sampaio (who died in July of that year).