Brazilian court orders Bolsonaro to compensate journalist for sexist remarks
By Camilo Rocha and Daniela Gonzalez-Roman, CNN
A Brazilian court ruled on Wednesday that President Jair Bolsonaro must pay “moral damages” of 35,000 reais (approximately $6,700) to a Brazilian journalist after making remarks with sexual innuendo about her in 2020.
The Brazilian president publicly claimed that Patricia Campos Mello, a reporter for newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, offered sex in exchange for information regarding an investigative piece on the 2018 Brazilian presidential election. In response, Campos Mello sued Bolsonaro.
The Court of Justice of Sao Paulo ruled in Campos Mello’s favor on Wednesday, in a 4-1 vote.
“A victory for all of us women. I thank the brilliant [attorney Tais Gasparian] and all of you for the mobilization, without you it would not be possible,” Campos Mello said in a tweet Wednesday.
CNN has reached out to the Brazilian Presidency’s public relations team for comments.
In March 2021 the court ruled to award Campos Mello compensation of 20,000 reais ($3,800). Bolsonaro filed an appeal following that decision.
Mello also won a case in early 2021 against the President’s son for claims which echoed his father. Eduardo Bolsonaro was sentenced to pay 30,000 reais (approximately $5,210) after he claimed that Campos Mello “tried to seduce” sources in order to obtain information that could harm his father.
In his sentencing, the judge said Eduardo Bolsonaro should be more careful in his comments given his political role, and as son of the President.
The-CNN-Wire
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