MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, November 5th 2024 - 19:50 UTC

 

 

Bolsonaro's 'terrible spelling' education minister steps down: “this time it is true”

Friday, June 19th 2020 - 11:30 UTC
Full article 2 comments
“This time it's true, I'm leaving the ministry of education,” Weintraub, 48, said in a brief video posted on Twitter, standing alongside Bolsonaro. “This time it's true, I'm leaving the ministry of education,” Weintraub, 48, said in a brief video posted on Twitter, standing alongside Bolsonaro.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's education minister, Abraham Weintraub, announced his resignation on Thursday after finding himself embroiled in a series of controversies and scandals.

“This time it's true, I'm leaving the ministry of education,” Weintraub, 48, said in a brief video posted on Twitter, standing alongside Bolsonaro.

Weintraub, an economist by training, said he would be leaving “in the coming days” to start a new job at the World Bank.

Since taking the post in April last year, Weintraub had become one of the far-right president's most controversial ministers.

He made headlines by tweeting anti-Chinese comments that were widely deemed racist, appearing to make light of Nazi atrocities, misspelling words in official documents and on Twitter, and saying the Supreme Court's justices are “criminals” and should be “thrown in jail.”

On Sunday he was fined for failing to wear a face mask at a pro-Bolsonaro rally in Brasilia, where masks have been mandatory in public since April to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

“They're trying to shut me up at any price,” he tweeted after that incident.

Speculation had swirled in recent days that Weintraub was about to be fired, particularly after his comments about the Supreme Court.

The court is currently overseeing a series of potentially explosive investigations involving Bolsonaro and his inner circle, and tension has soared between the president and the Justices.

But in a show of support to a minister popular with his hardline base, Bolsonaro spoke of their shared love of “freedom” and ushered Weintraub out with a handshake and a hug.

Categories: Politics, Brazil.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules
  • Chicureo

    Terence Hill's favorite hamburger!

    https://noblepig.com/2014/09/bacon-avocado-cheeseburger/

    Avocados will improve your outlook on the world and make you feel almost a part of the human race again.

    Jun 19th, 2020 - 04:27 pm 0
  • Terence Hill

    Chicureo the Advocator of the Avocado, Psychological Transferee, Narcissist, Criminal Libeller, & the Spam King
    Someone who is that immoral that they have defended Pinochet, tells you every thing about their lack veracity you need to know.

    Jun 20th, 2020 - 02:08 pm 0
Read all comments

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!