MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolsonaro says Jesus would have bought a gun, had he got the chance

It is “not possible for someone who says such nonsense to say that he believes in God,” Lula argued

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Jesus did not buy a gun because there were none available in his time. The head of state made those controversial remarks during a conversation with religious people at the Alvorada Palace.

During the conversation, a pious follower cited the example of the United States, where no legal restrictions apply to the purchase of handguns, and said it was “a recommendation from Jesus himself” and quoted a passage from the Bible: “Before being crucified, he commanded: 'Who does not have a sword, sell clothes and buy a sword'.”

Bolsonaro interrupted him and jokingly said, “He didn't buy a pistol because he didn't have one at that time.”

Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said it was “not possible for someone who says such nonsense to say that he believes in God; that person's God is not mine. God means love, kindness, affection, and respect,” Lula stressed.

Earlier this week, the Workers' Party leader had announced that he had recovered from COVID-19 after testing positive on June 5 and said he was resuming his presidential campaign with the Oct. 2 elections in sight.

Lula published on social media the medical report attesting to the fact that he no longer needed to stay isolated: “He is free for his routine activities,” the document read.

The presidential candidate also announced that should he encounter a large concentration of people he would wear a facemask “to avoid abuses with a disease that still has not been controlled” and which has reportedly killed some 670,000 people nationwide.

All polls foresee Lula would beat Bolsonaro with about 45% of the votes against 30% for the incumbent leader.