Published by an old curmudgeon who came to America in 1936 as a refugee from Nazi Germany and proudly served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He is a former law enforcement officer and a retired professor of criminal justice who, in 1970, founded the Texas Narcotic Officers Association. BarkGrowlBite refuses to be politically correct.
(Copyrighted articles are reproduced in accordance with the copyright laws of the U.S. Code, Title 17, Section 107.)
'The E.T. of Varginha': 30-year
mystery of 'alien' spotted by three girls, a military 'cover-up' and a
doctor only now coming forward to describe 'creature brought into his
hospital'
By Eliana Silver
Daily Mail
Jan 31, 2026
A statue of the E.T. of Varginha
Thirty years ago in a quiet municipality of southern Brazil, three girls came face to face with an alien-like creature that would haunt them for decades.
They
described it as having a heart-shaped face, big red eyes, three horns
on its forehead and a shiny brown body, crouched beside a wall in a
vacant lot in the city of Varginha.
Terrified, the girls fled and told their mother they had seen the devil.
That encounter on January 20, 1996, launched the mystery of the ‘E.T. of Varginha,’ a case that remains unsolved until this day.
Now,
the story is once again under the spotlight after new testimonies have
come to light, including that of a doctor who claims he encountered a
non-human creature in his hospital.
At the time, one of the witnesses, Liliane Silva, said: ‘It had arms and legs, like a human being, but also had three horns.’
The girls’ account quickly spread across Brazil, becoming a national sensation and earning the nickname ‘the E.T. of Varginha.’
In the days following the sighting, local lawyer and ufologist Ubirajara Rodrigues interviewed the girls.
The girls described a creature with a heart-shaped face, big red eyes, three horns on its forehead and a shiny brown body
The alien-like creature was reportedly crouched beside a wall in a vacant lot in Varginha
After hearing their account, he told them:
‘You didn’t see a demon or an ape, you saw an extraterrestrial,’ Silva
recalled years later in a documentary released to mark the anniversary.
In
the weeks that followed, ufologists began collecting anonymous
testimonies from people claiming to be members of the military.
They
alleged that the creature had been captured alive, taken to a hospital
and later transferred to the Três Corações barracks before being moved
to a secret laboratory in Campinas.
One soldier claimed the being ‘barely had a nose, its eyes were very red, and its mouth was small.’
Residents also reported seeing a UFO flying over the area before landing.
As the story escalated, the Brazilian Army launched an official investigation.
Investigators
questioned soldiers, commanders, firefighters and ufologists who had
published books on the case. They also examined the movement logs of
military vehicles during the relevant days.
The result was a two-volume investigation totaling 600 pages declaring the story false and blaming the media for spreading lies.
‘The
military personnel cited by the press did not participate in any
operation transporting any type of cargo. The media are mistaken,
publicizing untrue events,’ the report stated.
The
official explanation suggested the girls had misinterpreted what they
saw during a violent summer storm, which included heavy rain and hail.
Investigators
proposed the figure may have been Luís Antônio de Paula, known locally
as Mudinho, a man with mental disabilities who walked crouched through
the city.
Investigators proposed the
alien-like figure may have been Luís Antônio de Paula, a man with mental
disabilities who walked crouched through the city
The three women (then girls) who allegedly saw a nonhuman being give their testimony in the Moment of Contact documentary
The
witnesses have rejected that explanation ever since. ‘We had known
Mudinho since we were children; he was always crouching low,’ said
Valquiria Silva, ‘Without a doubt, it wasn’t him.’
Silva
was speaking in a new documentary released by Globo featuring fresh
testimonies, including that of neurologist Italo Venturelli, who claims
he encountered a nonhuman being in a Varginha hospital in 1996.
‘It
was like a child, neither green nor brown, as they said. What I saw was
white, with a teardrop-shaped skull and lilac eyes. I looked at it, it
looked at me, it looked out the window and back at me,’ Venturelli said.
He
explained that fear of ridicule kept him silent for decades, but a
serious illness that nearly killed him prompted him to speak publicly.
‘It was completely different from a human. It was very calm, it seemed like an angel,’ he said.
Further testimony was recounted this week at a press conference in Washington organized by investigative filmmaker James Fox.
Fox directed the film 'Moment of Contact' about the Varginha incident, where he interviewed several star witnesses.
Italo Venturelli, (pictured) claims he encountered a nonhuman being in a Varginha hospital in 1996
Carlos de Sousa, a Brazilian man
who said he witnessed the crash, told a press conference he initially
thought the object was a blimp
The
director presented written and video testimony from people who say they
encountered a nonhuman biological entity after what they describe as a
UFO crash in January 1996.
Witnesses claimed a cigar-shaped object in distress crashed into a field near Varginha.
Carlos
de Sousa, a Brazilian man who said he witnessed the crash, told the
conference he initially thought the object was a blimp.
He described seeing debris scattered around part of the craft and noticing a strong smell of ammonia and rotten eggs.
According to de Sousa, army vehicles arrived shortly afterward and soldiers ordered him away at gunpoint.
He
said that after leaving the scene, men in suits approached him in an
unmarked car and demonstrated knowledge of his personal details before
telling him he never saw anything.
Journalist Nyei Nadeia claimed he experienced a similar situation when attempting to investigate the incident.
He
said he was blocked by soldiers and described hearing people running
through the woods shouting ‘surround it’ and ‘it’s smooth,’ and was
warned he could be arrested if he continued asking questions.
The girls mother claimed four men allegedly offered money if the family would say the girls had seen an animal or a sick person
The witnesses drew the creature they had seen crouching beside a wall in Varginha
The
mother of Liliane and Valquiria Silva also spoke via video message at
the conference, saying she found a footprint in the grass with three
long toes and noticed a lingering smell.
Luiza
Helena de Silva described a visit from four men dressed in black who
allegedly offered money if the family would say the girls had seen an
animal or a sick person.
The conference also featured testimony from individuals claiming military involvement.
One
man, whose identity was concealed, said he helped transport an
extraterrestrial from a hospital before handing it over to other
soldiers.
A medical examiner who worked
in Varginha at the time described performing an autopsy on a young
soldier who died unexpectedly from what appeared to be a severe
infection.
A pathologist involved said
the bacterium was highly aggressive and unusual. In a written statement
for the event, he claimed the bacterium does not commonly infect humans,
although it is found on Earth.
Venturelli
also spoke at the conference, where he expanded on his testimony. He
claimed he sensed that the creature in the hospital was thankful for the
care and wanted to leave.
The
neurosurgeon described having the impression that the being was very
intelligent, with a strong sense of understanding and compassion in its
gaze.
The neurosurgeon described having the impression that the being was very intelligent
Venturelli, who claims he saw
the alien-like creature, comforts another witness, Carlos de Sousa, at
the conference after sharing their testimonies
Retired
Colonel Fred Clausen told the conference that in his work as a fighter
pilot in 1980, he encountered a UFO, but the military confiscated
footage from his gun camera.
He said he
believes a US cargo plane secretly flew into Brazil in January 1996 and
departed with ‘unusual cargo,’ calling on anyone with knowledge of such
a mission to come forward.
The Pentagon has denied any evidence linking unidentified aerial phenomena to extraterrestrial life.
Brazilian authorities have never officially endorsed the extraterrestrial claims.
Varginha’s City Council said it has never commented on the military investigation, according to El Pais.
However,
the city’s current mayor, Leonardo Ciacci, revealed in the Globo
documentary that when he managed a local bakery in 1996, the hospital
allegedly involved refused its daily bread delivery on the day of the
incident.
As the mystery continues, citizens of Varginha have embraced their alien story.
Once
known solely for being a major coffee-producing area, the city is now a
tourist attraction, with people flocking to see statues of the 'E.T. of
Varginha' as well as a water tower designed as a UFO.
32 Gazans said killed in wave of strikes as IDF responds to truce violation
Military says it targeted Hamas and Islamic
Jihad operatives, weapons sites after gunmen emerged from Rafah tunnel;
strikes are among the deadliest since October ceasefire
An Israeli airstrike in the west of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, January 31, 2026.
At least 32 Palestinians, including women, children and Hamas police
officers, were reported killed in a wave of airstrikes across the Gaza
Strip overnight and into Saturday morning — one of the highest death
tolls since the October ceasefire — as the Israeli military confirmed it
targeted terror commanders and infrastructure in response to what it
called a “violation of the ceasefire agreement.”
The Israel Defense Forces said its strikes targeted four commanders
in the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups, as well as a
weapons depot, an arms manufacturing site and two rocket launching
positions.
“The terror organizations in the Strip systematically violate
international law, while brutally exploiting civilian institutions and
operating in the presence of the local population,” the military said in
a statement.
Hamas’s civil defense agency said it had retrieved the bodies of 32
people killed in seven different locations since Saturday morning. Hamas
authorities claimed that around a quarter of those killed were
children, about a third were women, one was an elderly man and five were
officers in the Hamas-run police force.
The Hamas-run health ministry reported another 30 people wounded, some in critical condition.
The tolls could not be independently verified, and Israel did not release its own casualty figures.
Palestinians carry a body from the
rubble of a police station after it was targeted by an Israeli army
strike in Gaza City, January 31, 2026.
Among the reported strikes was an attack on the Sheikh Radwan police
station in Gaza City, which Hamas’s interior ministry said was hit
Saturday morning. Palestinian media put the death toll from the police
station at 16, including officers and detainees.
Hamas’s interior ministry said the dead at the police station
included several civilians and at least five officers, including one
with a rank equivalent to colonel, two of a rank equivalent to major,
and two of a rank equivalent to lieutenant. At least 15 police officers
were also wounded, the ministry said.
Elsewhere, Palestinian media reported three people killed in an
Israeli strike near an UNRWA school in the Nasser district of western
Gaza City.
Hamas accused Israel of carrying out a “blatant violation of the
ceasefire agreement,” claiming that 12 people killed in overnight
strikes included six children, and that seven of the dead belonged to a
single family sheltering in a displaced peoples’ camp in Khan Younis.
According to the military, the strikes were launched after eight
gunmen emerged from a tunnel in southern Gaza’s Rafah on Friday. The IDF
said at the time that three of the gunmen were killed in strikes and a
fourth, described as a key Hamas commander, was captured.
The army said the incident in Rafah constituted a breach of the ceasefire.
Egypt, Qatar condemn strikes as ‘violation’ of truce
Following the strikes, Egypt’s foreign ministry issued a statement
condemning Israel’s “repeated violations” of the truce, and urged all
parties to “exercise the utmost restraint,” ahead of the expected
opening of the Rafah Crossing.
The flare-up in violence came a day before Israel was set to reopen
the only crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt for pedestrian
traffic in both directions at the start of next week, in accordance with
the ceasefire deal
Qatar also issued a condemnation of the strikes: “The State of Qatar
expresses its strong condemnation of the repeated Israeli violations of
the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip… in a dangerous escalation that will
inflame the situation and undermine regional and international efforts
aimed at consolidating the truce.”
Israeli fire has killed more than 500 people — most of them
civilians, according to Gaza health officials — since the US-brokered
truce between Hamas and Israel took effect in October after two years of
war. The Gazan figures cannot be confirmed.
Palestinian terror operatives have killed four Israeli soldiers since the truce, according to Israeli authorities.
The two sides have traded blame over ceasefire violations, even as
Washington presses them to proceed to the next phases of the ceasefire
deal meant to end the conflict for good.
The war started following the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion of
southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking a further 251
hostages. The body of the final hostage, Ran Gvili, was returned this
week, ending the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan.
The next phase of Trump’s plan includes complex issues such as Hamas
disarmament, which the group has long rejected, further Israeli
withdrawal from Gaza and the deployment of an international peacekeeping
force.
In the months before the April 12, 1861, firing on Fort Sumter, there
were lots of sharp divisions in the North about the proper reaction to
the first seven Confederate states that had already left the Union.
Not all Unionists believed that war was inevitable. Some, in fact,
were happy to be done with the departing South and thus see their stain
of slavery gone from the Union. Similarly, others agreed that the
emerging Confederacy was not worth the trouble and costs of war, and the
secessionists could just form their own nation and stew in their own
backward, servile juice.
But after Fort Sumter, Lincoln—who was hated as much by the
Confederates as Trump is by the woke and socialist left—gained a
consensus that the Constitution had no clauses about any lawful
departure from the union. But it did operate under a clear supremacy
clause that made state obstruction of federal law and occupation of
federal property veritable sedition.
Lincoln and the preservationists felt that they easily had the moral
high ground of abolition versus the continuance of slavery. Nor did they
want a North America of fragmenting, warring nations in the manner of
Europe.
Something similar is emerging over Minnesota, the South Carolina of our age.
Once sanctuary states, cities, and counties had established the
precedent that, with impunity, they could nullify federal immigration
law, then what followed was a logical and mounting descent into the
current open defiance of the federal government. How odd that
self-described progressives are now acting out the visions of prior
kindred nullificationists and neo-Confederates from John C. Calhoun to
George Wallace.
The reaction of the rest of the nation, especially its conservative
half, to Minnesota resembles the 1861 disconnect in the North over the
insurrectionary states.
Some believe that if Minnesota wants to protect its approximately
1,300 jailed illegal alien murderers, rapists, and assorted felons, so
be it, and ICE should leave such a dysfunctional and dystopian state to
its own self-destructive path.
In this way of “See ya, wouldn’t wanna be ya” thinking, Trump should
stick to the red and purple states, clear them of criminal aliens with
the help of local enforcement, but without the organized performance-art
leftist resistance. Then he could contrast the nation with the
difference between low crime, noncontroversial deportations, versus the
blue-state model of protecting illegal alien criminals and their
indifference to the mayhem they inflict on the innocent.
If Minnesota further wants to be a state like 1861 South Carolina
that openly defies the federal government, then also so be it. But it
should accordingly not expect federal funding for its pick-and-choose
approach to federal law and property.
Has Minnesota forgotten that, like blue-state America, it cheered on
Barack Obama’s DOJ when it successfully sued Arizona in 2010, insisting
that it was Obama’s right as a federal custodian not to enforce federal
immigration law at the border—and thus not legal for Governor Jan Brewer
to use her state resources to enforce a federal law that derelict
federal officers would not?
But on the other hand, contemporary Unionists objected that such live
and let suffer is defeatist. Moreover, there are millions of Americans
inside insurrectionary Minnesota who do not support their
neo-Confederate leaders. Millions in Minnesota properly see themselves
as Americans first and Minnesotans second.
In this line of argument, just as Lincoln refused to give up federal
armories, property, and offices inside the South—most notably Fort
Sumter in Charleston Harbor—to insurrectionists, so too the Trump
administration has an obligation to protect federal property and offices
in Minnesota and to enforce federal law throughout the nation, at least
if it is to continue as a nation.
Very soon, Trump will have to decide which strategy is preferable and politically viable before the midterms.
Meanwhile, Minnesota’s highest elected officials have ordered local
and state police not to protect federal immigration officers from the
very street violence that they fuel. Indeed. Governor Walz, Mayor Frey,
and Attorney General Ellison are actively encouraging Minnesotans to
obstruct federal officers from enforcing federal laws—despite the
mounting violence that follows their collective prompts.
The three know that organized and well-funded groups organize the
protests and incite the violence. And perhaps the trio even welcomes
would-be martyrs to use their vehicles to ram ICE officers or to arrive
at protests armed with military-grade, semi-automatic pistols with
plenty of magazines and ammunition to spare.
Walz and company further quietly accept that they could easily
mitigate the violence by simply turning over roughly 1,300 criminal
illegal aliens in various Minnesota jails to federal authorities. To do
so would lessen the chances of violence, make Minnesota a safer place,
and expedite the rotation of ICE out of Minnesota.
But, of course, Walz, Frey, and Ellison have no such intentions, given their schemes are elsewhere.
Given the failure of an increasingly socialist Democratic Party in
2024 to offer a more popular and convincing agenda than Trump’s, they
believe their future lies in an increasingly redistributionist America,
fueled by unlimited, unaudited immigration from the former Third World.
They view as a political asset millions of arriving poor in dire need of
massive federal health, food, housing, and education subsidies and
entitlements, imbued with DEI victimhood, and nursed on America as toxic
at its birth and ever more pathological ever since.
So for the Minnesota state officials, screaming for ICE “to get the
f**k out of Minnesota” is more than mere braggadocio. It is a reminder
that the Democratic Party wants a safe place for illegal immigration,
the fuel of a future dependent constituency—as the architecture of the
recent massive Somali frauds attests.
They also believe that the more turmoil, the more violence, the more
resistance, and the more a general sense of chaos and unrest swirl
around the Trump administration, the more they can drive down its
popularity before the midterms.
They still cherish the months of riot, violence, and arson in the
George Floyd “summer of love” in 2020 as critical in defeating Donald
Trump.
Now as then, the left believes they can create a lose/lose dilemma
for Trump: send in the National Guard to restore order, and he confirms
that he is a “Nazi” and using the “Gestapo” to quell “peaceful”
protests. Stand down, and the left owns the street, exasperating the
MAGA base that mysteriously Trump has allowed the criminal left to
nullify the enforcement of federal law in near-secessionist fashion.
There are other Democratic agendas, both short- and long-term.
The Minnesota Democrat apparatus either knowingly turned a blind eye
to, protected, or silently partnered with the architects of likely the
largest theft of federal welfare and entitlement monies in U.S.
history—largely by the Somali community, both immigrants and their
second-generation apparatchiks. The Democratic elite counted on the
prophylactic cry of “racist!” to exempt the Somali community from any
legal accountability. And so far, they seem right in that assumption.
And the public?
Polls reveal its trademark ambiguity. A majority voted for Trump to
enforce immigration law, close the border, end illegal immigration, and
deport those who broke federal law. But that hope and the reality of
implementing it are two different things—especially when a state like
Minnesota has not just institutionalized illegal immigration but nearly
canonized foreign nationals illegally residing in the U.S.
To sum up public opinion, the proverbial people want all criminal
illegal aliens deported as soon as possible, and they may even support
the deportations of all 10-12 million illegal aliens who came en masse,
unaudited, and with the de facto blessing of the Biden administration.
But that said, they want the act of deportation of the non-criminal
to be out of sight, out of mind—as if magically they can simply
disappear and thus either self-deport or assemble at ICE stations eager
to be sent at no cost home.
For now, Walz, Frey, and Ellison are upping the rhetoric, fanning the
violence, and talking openly about how best to nullify federal law and
impede federal enforcement. They are convinced that they have galvanized
national opposition to the hated Trump, smothered the Somali fraud
scandal, and stopped ICE deportations of their constituents.
In all of those assumptions, they have little idea they are following
the Confederate script to the letter. And like their spiritual
forefathers of 1861, they grow ever more cocky, boastful, and defiant as
they create martyrs, spread narratives of victimhood, and daily slouch
toward another Fort Sumter.
“The
ICE derangement syndrome is off the charts because we are amidst a
pandemic of progressive leftist mental illness, which is an extremely
disproportionately female problem.” —JD Haltigan on "X"
By James Howard Kunstler
Clusterfuck Nation
Jan 30, 2026
People
partake in a "National Shutdown" protest against US Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 30,
2026.
It
has come into focus now and you no longer need to be perplexed,
mystified, bewildered, or bamboozled by events unspooling in Minneapolis
and other hotspots of Woke-Marxist-Jacobin delirium. You are seeing the
infernal machine of a sponsored revolution. Its parts are visible. They
can be named and clearly understood. I will tell you how this works.
You
realize, of course, that there has been an ongoing effort by players
outside the USA to destroy Western Civ. This is too obvious to be
denied. It is coming from several different places. First, China,
because China has sprung from a sink of immiseration to become an
industrial behemoth in a mere forty years and sees itself as the next
global hegemon. Neville Roy Singham, the wealthy American ex-pat living
in Shanghai, exposed all over the Internet this past week, is fronting
for the CCP with his web of NGOs that just now underwrite the Lefty-left
rage-riots around our country, surely subsidized with extra money from
his China handlers.
China
sent countless thousands of its soldiers surreptitiously across the
border during the “Joe Biden” years along with the UN’s millions-footed
riffraff. They have yet to be activated, shall we say, in whatever
mischief China has planned. That’s on top of all the college students
China has seeded all over the US, and the babies hatched here, given US
passports, and withdrawn back to China. It’s simple: they want North
America and they have a long game-plan to get it. Resources. Food.
Then
there’s the Globalist cabal made up of the WEF megalomaniacs, the
buffoonish but sinister EU bureaucracy, and — surprise — the sticky
residue of the British Empire’s managerial class, believe it or not.
This cabal is George & Alex Soros’s platform for their Open Society
and Atlantic Council shenanigans and all the NGOs they spawn.
Altogether, the WEF-Globalist’s mojo is fading fast since Mr. Trump went
to Davos this month and tossed a few grenades into the audience. Plus,
of course, Germany, France, and the UK are going dark, both energy-wise
and demographically. Doesn’t help.
Then
there is less-well-known São Paulo Forum, founded in 1990 by Luiz
Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s president today, back then a mere
activist, and the late Fidel Castro. This outfit lurked in the deep
background until recently when Mr. Trump plucked one of its components
off the game-board: Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. The São Paulo Forum
created the permission structure for the Western
Hemisphere’s drug and trafficking cartels to thrive in. Both enterprises
do immense harm to the USA, first with fentanyl deaths and then with
all the second-order effects of illegal immigration — especially of
criminals and the insane. It’s all too obvious to belabor.
Who is not in the Destroy Western Civ
mix? Another surprise: Russia — apart from the usual boilerplate
security apparatus that any major nation must maintain. In case you
missed it, Russia is no longer communist. Didn’t work out for them. No,
this will probably shock you, but Russia is actually doing what it can
to preserve Western Civ, including Christianity, literature, music,
philosophy, and domestic civility. They’re in Ukraine because of “Joe
Biden.” Here is not the place to adumbrate that topic, so I will leave
it for now.
Okay,
those are the players outside the USA fomenting revolution among us.
The picture, though, is woefully incomplete without America’s Democratic
Party, which activates and amplifies the dynamic inside the USA. The
Democrats are hostages of the outside forces, but they are not innocent
hostages. They are hostage also to their own demonic greed — for power
and riches. The Democratic Party has engineered itself into a colossal
racketeering operation, a criminal organization, a mafia.
This
is now seen garishly in Minnesota, where immigrants — both illegal and
strategically placed earlier by Obama & Company — are lately
revealed to run a fabulous matrix of fraud around various social
services, extracting billions from US taxpayers in the process. This is
accomplished with fake companies and NGOs which distribute the loot
between the immigrant grifters, the politicians such as Governor Tim
Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and finally the Democratic Party
apparatus itself, to keep operations going. The mechanism is being
studied in the US Department of Justice.
Mass
illegal immigration serves two clear purposes for the party. They use
it to boost census numbers so they can create more congressional
districts and takeover existing ones. Also, the illegals are marshaled
to provide votes for the party, one way or another. The millions let in
under “Joe Biden” received lavish gifts on entry (courtesy of you) to
cement their allegiance to the party. And that’s why the Democratic
Party will do just about anything to prevent the deportation of their
pet illegal immigrants. Also why the Dems have no interest in election
reform.
And
it is exactly why they have ignited an hysteria among the Democratic
Party rank-and-file and sent them out into the streets to create chaos
and become martyrs. Now, curiously, the women of the Democratic Party
were pre-disposed for this madness by a half century of feminism which
has managed to evolve — as JD Haltigan describes so well — into a florid
Cluster-B group personality derangement. (Psychologist Gad Saad calls
it “suicidal empathy.”) To put it bluntly, their desperate yearning to
agree with each other and their maternal instincts to care for anything
deemed needy (a baby, the homeless, any victim of something), these
hard-wired states-of-mind have been hijacked to now send them into a
rage delirium on the frozen streets of Minneapolis (and elsewhere). All
that emotional distress is wrapped in a thin tissue of Marxist bullshit
to make it appear political, but it’s all ragged emotion. Sometimes in
history populations go crazy.
And
so, American women — and not a few mentally feminized men — have become
the foot-soldiers of the Democratic Party in its increasingly desperate
campaign to keep its criminal rackets going — or, at least, not end up
in prison over them — while the party has become the collective “useful
idiot” of the Globalist / Marxist forces seeking to destroy Western Civ
and hand North America over to China.
It’s
reasonable to suppose that President Trump and his people understand
how this works and aim to do what they can to disassemble the infernal
machine behind it. They are going after the money supply lines, the many
NGOs involved, and very probably a whole lot of politicians in on the
grift. The winter uproar in Minneapolis that cost the lives of two
feckless insurgents exposed the machinery of sedition. The Insurrection
Act might have been in the president’s back pocket, but he knew it would
be foolish to use it. The Dems might be a little concerned about what
comes next. Hint: DNI Tulsi Gabbard showing up yesterday with the FBI at
the Fulton County, GA, election storage warehouse to collect 70 boxes
of documents and ballots.
One
final angle on all this. There’s another player in the mix, and it’s
really hard to tell exactly where they stand: that’s the so-called Deep
State generally and its main handyman, the CIA, in particular. They have
been behind all the “color revolution” action abroad for decades, and
perhaps the election fraud in the USA. They appear to have been
operating to some degree in Venezuela through all the years of Hugo
Chavez and Maduro, with some nefarious involvement in the cartels. And
no question they were behind the long-running coup in all its parts to
defame, oust, jail, impoverish, defeat, and kill Mr. Trump since 2016.
Their pals in the adjacent DC Lawfare industry are trying really hard to
subvert and pervert the judicial system. CIA Director John Ratcliffe
has some ‘splainin’ to do about what he managed to accomplish this year,
cleaning up the agency. Or not.
Andrea Bradley-Baskin is a judge at Michigan’s 36th District Court in Detroit.
A Detroit judge and three other residents
were charged by federal prosecutors for their alleged roles in a
"years-long scheme" to embezzle money from incapacitated and vulnerable individuals.
The
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan said Andrea
Bradley-Baskin, 46, who is a district judge on Michigan’s 36th District
Court, is alleged "to have used $70,000 in a ward’s funds
to purchase an ownership stake in a local bar" and "money embezzled from
the estate of a ward to pay a two-year lease on a new Ford Expedition
for herself."
"We respect the authority
that covers a black robe. This state judge and her cronies allegedly
abused that high honor for personal gain by preying on the needy
protected by the court," U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon said in a statement. "This would be a grievous abuse of our public trust."
"Regardless
of a person’s position in society, no one is above the law. These four
defendants allegedly conspired to steal from some of our most vulnerable
citizens — looting bank accounts, exploiting legal authority, and
profiting off those who relied on them for care and protection," added
Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office.
The Attorney’s Office said Nancy Williams,
59, Avery Bradley, 72, Dwight Rashad, 69, and Bradley-Baskin, all
Detroit residents, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
"The indictment also
charges Bradley with one count of wire fraud, Bradley, Bradley-Baskin,
and Rashad with several counts of money laundering, and Bradley-Baskin
with a single count of making a false statement to federal law
enforcement agent," it added.
Lawyers representing Bradley-Baskin did not immediately respond Saturday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
The Attorney’s Office, citing the indictment, said "probate courts
regularly appoint guardians and conservators to manage the personal and
financial affairs of adults, known as wards, who have been found by the
court to lack the capacity to do so themselves."
"The indictment alleges that Nancy Williams
owned Guardian and Associates, an agency that was appointed as a
fiduciary by the Wayne County Probate Court for incapacitated wards in
over 1,000 cases. Avery Bradley is an attorney, who, along with his
daughter (and fellow attorney) Andrea Bradley-Baskin, operated a law
firm that often represented Guardian and Associates in Wayne County
Probate Court and otherwise practiced regularly in that court," it
continued. "Dwight Rashad operated a series of group homes and
residential facilities for elderly individuals, including wards, who
needed support and care."
"The indictment alleges
that the four defendants conspired to systematically embezzle funds
from wards, and to obtain and retain money for themselves that rightly
belonged to the wards and the wards’ estates," it also said.
Prosecutors
described how in one case, Bradley, Williams, and Rashad allegedly took
around $203,000 in funds from a ward’s legal settlement, with "none of
the money being used to benefit the ward."
"Williams is alleged to have paid Rashad rent for wards who did not live in one of Rashad’s homes," they said.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations.
Texas A&M University announced Friday that it is eliminating its women’s and gender studies degree program.
University leaders made the announcement
alongside the results of a campuswide course review launched after a
video of a student confronting a professor over gender identity content
went viral last fall and sparked political backlash.
Interim President Tommy Williams made the
decision because of low enrollment and cost, College of Arts and
Sciences Interim Dean Simon North and Senior Executive Associate Cynthia
Werner said in an email to faculty obtained by The Texas Tribune.
“We know this is devastating news,” the
administrators said. “One of the primary duties of university
administrators is to be good stewards of public money. Even the smallest
programs require ongoing investment in faculty time, staff support, and
administrative oversight.”
Texas A&M offered a bachelor of arts
degree, a bachelor of science degree, an undergraduate minor and a
graduate certificate in women’s and gender studies. The program has 25
students seeking a major and 31 seeking a minor. Students already
enrolled will be allowed to complete their programs over the next six
semesters, but no new students will be accepted.
Women’s and gender studies at Texas A&M
is an interdisciplinary program rather than an academic department and
does not have tenure-line faculty, relying instead on professors from
other departments to teach its courses.
Chaitanya Lakkimsetti, an associate professor
of sociology who has long taught in the women’s and gender studies
program, said it served as one of the few spaces on campus bringing
students and faculty together from across disciplines. She said she met
an English professor through the program, a connection that eventually
led to a book they wrote on the #MeToo movement.
She said she taught a feminist theory
graduate seminar last spring that enrolled 15 students from multiple
departments, an unusually high number for a graduate course.
Lakkimsetti said she was saddened the program would no longer exist as a space for that kind of collaboration.
“We have to keep fighting and standing up for
our students’ right to have an education that is critical for the times
they live in,” she said.
After last fall’s controversy, the Texas
A&M University System Board of Regents passed a policy restricting
how race and gender could be discussed in class and ordered a sweeping
review of course offerings. Specifically, faculty may not advocate “race
or gender ideology” or topics related to sexual orientation or gender
identity unless a campus president grants a written exception for
certain non-core or graduate-level courses that serve a necessary or
educational purpose. System officials have not defined what qualifies as
a necessary educational purpose.
University officials said Friday they
examined 5,400 course syllabi for the spring semester and canceled six
courses, or about 0.11 percent of courses offered. Officials said
academic advisers ensured the cancellations did not disrupt students’
progress toward graduation.
Faculty leaders disputed that framing.
Leonard Bright, president of the Texas A&M chapter of the American
Association of University Professors, said the six-course figure
reflects only the most visible outcomes of the review and understates
its impact.
Bright, whose own ethics course was canceled earlier this month under the same policy, said many faculty changed syllabi or removed material to avoid scrutiny.
“The cancellations and the exemptions are just the tip of the iceberg,” Bright said.
The university confirmed that the six-course
total announced Friday does not include courses that faculty revised or
altered earlier in the review process.
The Tribune previously reported that North told faculty that roughly 200 courses
in the College of Arts and Sciences had been identified as potentially
affected by the policy, with some classes canceled, renumbered or
altered before the spring semester began.
The canceled courses the university announced
Friday were spread across the Bush School of Government and Public
Service and the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture and Life
Sciences, and Education and Human Development.
The university later identified canceled
courses as Introduction to Race and Ethnicity; Religions of the World;
Ethics in Public Policy; Diversity in Sport Organizations; Cultural
Leadership and Exploration for Society; and Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion in Youth Development Organizations. All six were undergraduate
courses.
Officials said the bulk of the course content
review was performed by faculty and their department heads, who altered
hundreds of syllabi. Deans forwarded 54 courses to the president and
provost for final review. The president granted 48 exceptions.
Texas A&M has made similar cuts in recent
years. In 2024, regents voted to eliminate dozens of low-enrollment
minors and certificates, including an LGBTQ+ studies minor, a decision faculty said was made in response to conservative criticism and with limited faculty input.
Regents are expected to hear a presentation
Thursday on low-performing academic programs across the system’s 12
campuses, according to an agenda for its quarterly meeting.
PEN America, a national advocate for freedom
of expression, criticized the decision Friday, saying Texas A&M is
“running roughshod over academic freedom.”
“Forcing faculty to restrict what they teach
censors the knowledge accessible to students,” said Amy Reid, program
director for Freedom to Learn at PEN America. “Limiting what can be
taught in a university classroom is not education, it’s ideological
control.”
Donald
Trump has just filed a massive civil suit against the IRS stemming from
his first term in office. A contractor's employee leaked personal tax
records from Donald Trump and several members of his family and at least
one Trump business. There is no doubt that it happened. The jerk was
identified, tried and sent to federal prison. He has a legit cause of
action. I am not sure it is a $10 billion case but it seems likely he
will get something for his trouble. If nothing else indirectly from the
contractor's insurance company.
San Diego County has hired a lobbyist to approach the
Democrat-Socialist government in Sacramento to change a law to allow
them to raise their real estate transfer tax from 0.11% to 6.11%.
Can you imagine what that will do to the real estate market in San Diego? Should be fun.
Rhode Island homeowner left stunned after finding exotic reptile hiding under 20inch snow on his driveway
By Alexa Cimino
Daily Mail
Jan 30, 2026
A Rhode Island man got the shock
of the season after uncovering a large tegu lizard buried beneath
nearly 20 inches of snow outside his home following the region's latest
winter storm
A Rhode Island uncovered
a large tegu lizard buried beneath nearly 20 inches of snow outside his
home following the region's latest winter storm.
The
unexpected discovery happened on Providence's busier streets, where the
reptile, a species native to South America - was found barely moving as
it tried to push itself out of the deep snow, according to a post from
the New England Wildlife Center.
Despite
the surprise, the resident acted quickly. He brought the lizard
indoors, wrapped it in a T‑shirt to conserve what little body heat it
had, and contacted Taylor and Emily, co‑owners of ET Reptiles, for
help.
The pair responded immediately, retrieved the animal, and began warming it gradually while arranging emergency care.
The
tegu was transported to the New England Wildlife Center, where
veterinarians Dr Greg Mertz and Dr Alyssa Gannaway found the reptile in
critical condition.
He was extremely weak, underweight and barely able to move.
His
tongue had suffered frostbite, and he showed signs of cold‑induced
myopathy - a form of muscle injury caused by prolonged exposure to low
temperatures.
Reptiles like tegus are cold‑blooded, meaning they cannot regulate their body temperature internally.
The tegu was transported to the
New England Wildlife Center, where veterinarians Dr Greg Mertz and Dr
Alyssa Gannaway found the reptile in critical condition
When exposed to freezing weather, their
metabolism slows dramatically, circulation becomes compromised, and
tissue can begin to die.
Experts say tegus stand virtually no chance of surviving winter conditions in New England on their own.
The
Odd Pet Vet team amputated a small piece of nonviable tissue from the
lizard's tongue and provided supportive care, including steroids to
address inflammation and generalized weakness.
Staff confirmed in the Facebook post that he is now resting comfortably - and, most importantly, warm.
'Stories
like this are a reminder of how dependent these animals are on the
right care and informed humans,' the center said, thanking ET Reptiles
for their rapid response and ongoing work to support responsible reptile
ownership.
Where the tegu came from remains a mystery. It is unclear whether it escaped from a nearby home or was intentionally released.
The New England Wildlife Center is asking anyone with information, or anyone missing a tegu, to contact them or ET Reptiles.
The center shared photos showing the lizard as he arrived, followed by images after his treatment with Dr Mertz and Dr Gannaway.
The tegu was wrapped it in a
T‑shirt to conserve what little body heat it had, and contacted Taylor
and Emily, co‑owners of ET Reptiles, for help
The tegu's tongue had suffered
frostbite, and he showed signs of cold‑induced myopathy - a form of
muscle injury caused by prolonged exposure to low temperatures
The tegu as rescuers first found him, nearly frozen after being pulled from a snowbank in Providence
Staff say they will be 'rooting for a good outcome' and will provide updates as recovery continues.
Tegus could not survive New England winters, but they had become a major invasive species in Florida, according to the Jacksonville Zoo.
The
zoo said the lizards established themselves in the wild after
unprepared owners either allowed them to escape or released them once
the animals grew too large to manage.
Their
presence posed a serious ecological threat because they bred rapidly,
females laid anywhere from 10 to 70 eggs at a time, and preyed on native
birds, reptiles and small mammals, putting threatened and endangered
species at further risk.
Their
intelligence, size and ability to adapt meant they spread quickly
through the landscape, prompting Florida to ban their sale in 2021 and
require existing owners to microchip and keep them indoors at all
times.
Trump's tenacious enforcer reveals her relationship with JD Vance is still on ICE as she cheers on a 2028 rival
By Elina Shirazi
Daily Mail
Jan 30, 2026
The self–described 'chief loyalty enforcer' of the Trump administration
has a chilling message for the Vice President: the frost is not thawing
The self–described 'chief loyalty
enforcer' of the Trump administration has a chilling message for the
vice President: the frost is not thawing.
In
an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Laura Loomer, the
right-wing media figure who has become a fixture in the president's
inner circle, confirmed that her relationship with Vice President JD Vance remains deeply fractured following their high–profile spat.
The
feud, which reached a fever pitch after Vance previously labeled some
of Loomer's more inflammatory rhetoric and pushback against him as
'despicable,' appears to have left a permanent mark on the MAGA
hierarchy.
When asked if the two had managed to patch things up behind the scenes, Loomer was characteristically blunt.
'I
have not spoken to the vice president, but I encourage him to focus on
condemning his friend Tucker Qatarlson, who spends every episode of his
show attacking the Trump administration and simping for Islamic
terrorists,' Loomer told the Mail.
Loomer's biting nickname for the former Fox News host, 'Tucker Qatarlson,' stems from her recent crusade against Tucker Carlson.
A spokesperson for the vice president did not return a Daily Mail request for comment.
She
has accused the media mogul of being a 'controlled' voice influenced by
foreign interests, specifically targeting his recent interviews and
critiques of the administration's more hawkish stances.
August 26, 2024 photo of Laura Loomer and President Donald Trump is captioned: My favorite President!
When asked about Senator Ted
Cruz, who has recently signaled a potential 2028 challenge to the Vice
President, Loomer suggested one name that she is putting money behind –
Vance's best friend
When asked about Senator Ted
Cruz, who has recently signaled a potential 2028 challenge to the Vice
President, Loomer suggested one name that she is putting money behind –
Vance's best friend in the administration
While the current administration is still in the thick of its term, the shadow of 2028 is already looming large.
With
Vance widely considered the heir apparent to the MAGA throne, any sign
of dissent from the base is a significant blow to his future ambitions.
Loomer, however, isn't waiting around to see if Vance can win her back.
When
asked about Senator Ted Cruz, who has recently signaled a potential
2028 Republican primary challenge to the vice president, Loomer
suggested one name that she is putting money behind – Vance's best
friend in the administration.
'Rubio rising!' Loomer told the Daily Mail, referring to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
A JL Partners/Daily Mail poll taken last week showed Vance holding 38-point lead over his main primary rivals.
Among
501 likely GOP primary voters nationally, Vance takes 49 percent of the
vote to Ron DeSantis' 11 percent. Cruz earns 7 percent and Rubio is at 6
percent.
Rubio has transformed from
'Little Marco' rival to cornerstone of Trump's foreign policy, earning
respect from loyalists who once viewed him with suspicion.
His Capitol Hill appearance discussing Venezuela operations even drew a public nod from Vice President JD Vance on social media.
Though
both are leading contenders for the GOP's 2028 presidential nomination,
they're charting sharply different paths in how they leverage their
roles within the Trump administration.
All
eyes will be on whether Rubio and Vance begin to distance themselves as
2028 talk heats up—unless they end up joining forces on the same
ticket.
Disabled man, 30, dies after his caretaker father was detained by ICE
By James Gordon
Daily Mail
Jan 30, 2026
Wael Tarabishi, right, a US
citizen with advanced Pompe disease, died Friday in intensive care at
Methodist Mansfield Medical Center. He is pictured alongside his
father Maher Tarabishi
The family of a disabled Texas
man who died in intensive care is accusing US immigration authorities
of causing his death by separating him from his full-time caregiver and
refusing to release his detained father, even as he lay dying.
Wael
Tarabishi, a US citizen with advanced Pompe disease, died on Friday at
Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, south of Dallas, weeks after his
father Maher Tarabishi was taken into ICE custody during a routine
immigration check-in.
Maher, 62, had
been Wael's primary caregiver for more than three decades and managed
his ventilator, feeding tubes, medications, and daily medical needs.
Since his arrest on October 28, Maher has been held at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas.
His family says Wael's health deteriorated rapidly after his father was removed from the home.
'I blame ICE,' Maher's daughter-in-law Shahd Arnaout told the Fort Worth Star Telegram. 'Maybe they did not kill Wael with a bullet, but they killed him when they took his father away.'
Wael,
who could not move or breathe on his own due to his rare genetic
disorder that causes progressive muscle failure, was hospitalized twice
after Maher's arrest after his condition worsened.
In
November, he was treated for sepsis and pneumonia. In late December, he
was admitted again to the ICU after a stomach infection caused his
feeding tube to leak.
Maher Tarabishi, left, had been
his primary caregiver to his son, Wael, for more than 30 years before
being detained by ICE in October. They are pictured alongside another
family member
That second hospitalization lasted 30 days and ended with Wael dying on Friday afternoon.
'Wael
is a US citizen, and he was asking for his dad to be next to him while
he's dying,' Arnaout explained. 'His country failed him.'
According
to the family, doctors had warned that Wael required highly specialized
care and that Maher was the only person who fully understood his
complex medical needs.
Wael was
diagnosed with Pompe disease at four and was not expected to live past
the age of ten, but survived more than 30 years under his father's care.
In Wael's final hours, his family signed a 'do not resuscitate' order as his organs began to fail.
The family made an emergency plea for Maher's release so he could be with his son before he died. The request was denied.
Wael was diagnosed at four and
was not expected to live past the age of ten, but survived more than 30
years under his father's care
Doctors originally told the family Wael would not live past the age of 10.
Maher, top, learned of Wael’s death while still in immigration custody
Wael was hospitalized twice after his father’s detention, including for sepsis, pneumonia, and a feeding tube infection
A Facebook campaign page kept supporters abreast of developments
An online campaign sprung up in the hope of getting Maher released to be with his son
Maher had to learn of his son's death during a phone call from detention.
The family is now asking ICE to release Maher so he can attend Wael's funeral.
'ICE
has NOT received a formal request from anyone to attend funeral
services. Requests for temporary release are considered on a case by
case basis,' the agency said in a statement.
ICE
has described Maher as a 'criminal alien' and alleged he was affiliated
with the Palestine Liberation Organization, a claim his family denies.
Maher
Tarabishi is a Jordanian national who entered the US in 1994 and
overstayed on a tourist visa. He later applied for asylum.
His family says he has complied with immigration requirements and regularly attended check-ins.
On
Friday, Maher's attorney filed a motion to reopen his asylum case after
discovering that his former lawyer had been practicing without a valid
license.
Advocates say Maher's detention may never have occurred if his legal representation had been legitimate.
The case went viral after Billie Eilish shared Wael’s story on her social media
The story drew international
attention after Billie Eilish reposted Wael Tarabishi’s case to her
Facebook stories, amplifying calls for Maher’s release
Maher, left, entered the US in
1994 and has been seeking asylum since his visa expired. His sons were
both US citizens having been born here
Maher Tarabishi’s arrest is part of a larger increase in immigration enforcement during President Donald Trump’s second term
In
December, the family and community activists gathered outside the
hospital, pleading directly with President Donald Trump for Maher's
release.
In a prepared statement read
by a cousin, Wael himself had said: 'He is the one who knows my body
when it is about to fail. He is the one who keeps me alive when I'm at
my weakest.'
Maher's daughter-in-law
said simply: 'This is not a man who should be behind bars. This is a man
who should be beside his child, his sick child.'
The
case drew widespread attention on Friday after Billie Eilish shared the
story on her social media, prompting renewed scrutiny of immigration
detention policies.
'We call on every
congressional representative that represents Texas to take action to the
fullest extent of their capacity to ensure that Maher gets the
opportunity to properly mourn his son and grieve with his family, as is
his human right to do,' a spokesperson for the Tarabishi family said.
Maher Tarabishi remains in ICE custody. The Daily Mail has contacted ICE for comment.
Brazil's right-wing frontrunner, Flavio Bolsonaro, the oldest son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro
Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former Brazilian President Jair
Bolsonaro, has been solidifying his position as a central figure in the Brazilian
right-wing camp and as a leading candidate for the country's presidency
in elections scheduled for later this year. Despite his young age
(Flávio has not yet turned 45), he is already considered a veteran
senator and seasoned politician. That's what happens when you are first
elected to the parliament of Rio de Janeiro state at just 21 years old.
As
someone who grew up at the heart of Brazil's turbulent public arena,
Bolsonaro the son is seen by his supporters as the natural heir to his
father's path and ideology – not just in name, but also in a cohesive
and clear worldview. Jair Bolsonaro gave his son his blessing from
within the compound of the Federal Police headquarters in Brasília, the
capital, where he is confined in solitary confinement after being
sentenced to 27 years in prison.
Through
the stitching together of a rather bizarre indictment that attributed
to Bolsonaro the father nothing less than an attempted insurrection, and
with the help of compliant judges, the current President Luiz Inácio
Lula da Silva, known as Lula, succeeded, along with his people, in
removing their greatest rival from the public arena. Now they will have
to face his son, and Flávio also knows that in this battle, the leftist
government will again not hesitate to use any means.
"Lula
was previously convicted as the leader of a crime organization, which
stole billions from Brazilian public funds," Flávio Bolsonaro reminds us
in an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom. "Nevertheless,
today he sits again in the president's office after being acquitted in a
suspicious manner. Today, Brazil suffers from widespread violence, with
25% of Brazilians living in areas controlled by crime organizations.
Lula's government is at the center of the scandal involving the theft of
pension benefits from retirees of Brazil's social security institution,
in which Lula's son is accused of receiving bribes totaling 25 million
reais (approximately $5 million). More than 40 million families depend
on a government allowance of 600 reais ($120) just to have food at home,
and the government uses state mechanisms to pursue and imprison
political rivals. Brazil is no longer a democracy."
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Not
only do the right-wing presidential candidates think so. A host of
international bodies and Western governments have expressed concern
about the loss of Brazil's democratic character under Lula. The erosion
of political rights is so severe that, unusually, a rare consensus has
formed between human rights organizations identified with conservatism
and those identified with the left. Everyone recognizes the problem and
points to the authorities' tendency to curtail freedom of expression and
turn the justice system into a weapon aimed exclusively at political
rivals. The "Democracy Index" of The Economist magazine calls Lula's country a "flawed democracy," in complete alignment with Bolsonaro's complaints.
Like
his father, Flávio Bolsonaro is identified with a staunch conservative
line, an emphasis on national sovereignty, a fight against crime and
corruption, and opposition to what he sees as a hostile takeover of
Brazilian democracy by legal and ideological elites on the left. Over
the years, he has not hesitated to confront powerful institutions and
has presented himself as a direct voice of a broad public that feels
excluded from traditional political discourse.
When
discussing his willingness to stand his ground and confront powerful
actors, it should be noted that, in Flávio's case, this extends beyond
politics. About ten years ago, the man proved he possessed unusual
courage in other situations as well. When he noticed during a random
drive in Rio de Janeiro that a nearby car was being attacked by two
armed robbers, Flávio Bolsonaro and his bodyguard charged at the armed
thugs. They managed to chase away the robbers, and Bolsonaro's shots,
who holds a licensed pistol, even hit one of them. No less than six
bullets hit his car's windshield, but both he and the bodyguard emerged
from the confrontation unharmed.
Q:
The legal proceedings and imprisonment of your father, former President
Jair Bolsonaro, have sparked fierce controversy. Do you see them as
political persecution, and how has this affected your decision to run
for president?
"This
is clear political persecution – not just against my father but against
millions of Brazilians. The illegal arrests, censorship, and
persecution have reached unprecedented dimensions in our history. Brazil
is currently an exceptional state, with almost no space for opposition.
My father was convicted of an impossible crime – an attempted coup
without weapons, when he was no longer president, while he was staying
in the United States, supposedly using elderly people, mothers, and
religious people – and all this after appointing army commanders who
were also approved by Lula. This is a grotesque farce that breaks
records even compared to a long series of illegal acts by the current
regime, which has led Brazil to an exceptional situation. My father was
convicted by his political enemies – Lula's former lawyer and former
justice minister, who declared that 'Bolsonaro is the devil on earth'-
after he helped Lula get elected while serving as president of the
Supreme Electoral Court and tilted the system against Bolsonaro. This
entire mechanism was built to pursue and imprison political rivals. My
candidacy is a direct result of this persecution. After the main
opposition leader was kicked out of the race, I was forced to step into
his shoes so that millions of Brazilians would have a chance to choose. I
hope the international community pays attention to Brazil, because we
cannot allow the largest country in Latin America to be held hostage by a
regime that deprives rights."
Q:
Critics claim that the justice system in Brazil has become politicized.
Do you share this concern, and how do you intend to restore public
trust in the rule of law?
"Yes.
Some call it politicization or 'judicial activism,' but these are
whitewashed terms for sheer tyranny. In our case, some people in the
Supreme Court commit illegal acts to eliminate the opposition. The most
prominent case is Judge Alexandre de Moraes – a serial violator of human
rights who acted with one goal in mind – eliminating the opposition in
Brazil."
"Big
Alex," as Supreme Federal Court Judge de Moraes is called in Brazil, is
the doomsday weapon that was activated against Bolsonaro the father. In
fact, he is the one who sent him to prison, and if that's not enough he
also led to the outlawing of the social network X (formerly Twitter) in
Brazil. In a move unprecedented even by the standards of totalitarian
regimes, de Moraes imposed a fine of 50,000 reais ($10,000) per day on
anyone who uses a VPN to bypass the ban and access X. Such a step did
not occur to Putin or Xi Jinping.
Unsurprisingly,
Elon Musk accused de Moraes of blatant and repeated violations of the
constitutional rights of Brazilian citizens, and in response, the judges
of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court ordered the opening of a criminal
investigation against Musk for spreading hate speech, inciting violenc,e
and a series of other accusations pulled from thin air. If this is how
they dare to treat Musk, an American citizen, imagine their power over
ordinary Brazilian citizens. In August 2024, de Moraes simply threatened
to arrest and throw into jail the employees working at Twitter's
Brazilian office.
Flávio Bolsonaro holds figurines of Jair Bolsonaro and Donald Trump
In
July 2025, the US imposed sanctions on him and other Brazilian Supreme
Court judges. In September they were expanded to also include the
notorious judge's wife. Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, stated
firmly at the time that "the political persecution led by Brazilian
Judge Alexandre de Moraes against Jair Bolsonaro created a system of
persecution and censorship so extensive that it not only harms the
fundamental rights of Brazilian citizens, but also exceeds the country's
borders and is directed at American citizens as well." However, about a
month ago the sanctions on the de Moraes couple were surprisingly
canceled, without any real explanation.
A blood alliance
President
Lula plowed deep furrows not only in the justice system. He changed
Brazil's foreign policy from end to end and transferred it to the
classic tracks of the left – opposition to the US and Israel, and
embracing all those who oppose them, from Russia to Iran, Venezuela and
Hamas. In one of the low points, Brazil officially joined South Africa's
petition against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in
The Hague, claiming genocide in Gaza. A year later, Lula succeeded in
sinking even lower when he announced Brazil's withdrawal from the
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. Flávio Bolsonaro does not
hide his disgust with these moves by Lula and his gang.
Q:
How in your view has Brazil's international standing changed in recent
years, especially in relation to Western democracies and Israel?
"Brazil
has become a pariah in the international arena. Current foreign policy
is aligned with the entire dictatorial garbage heap of the radical left.
Antisemitism and hostility toward Western values are the foundational
lines of the criminal organization that seized control of Brazil.
Support for terror, identification with tyrannical and despotic regimes
around the world, and enthusiastic support for global restrictions on
freedom of expression – all these stand at the heart of the foreign
activity of Lula's Workers' Party."
Latin
America is in an ongoing ideological struggle between right and left.
Due to its size and influence, Brazil has traditionally been considered a
country that leads others after it. The question is where it will lead
them now?
"Brazilians
understand more and more that we cannot go down Venezuela's path, which
has been ruled for years by a terrible dictator close to Lula. More
than 8 million Venezuelans fled from hunger, poverty and persecution –
and many of them arrived in Brazil. Brazilians know what they don't want
– the left. The president bears the duty to defend the values of
Western civilization, which are based on Judeo-Christian values."
Q:
Recent events in Venezuela have worried the international community.
How do you assess the situation there, and what is Brazil's role?
"I
believe that sovereignty is a civilizational concept that requires a
set of principles and values. Sovereignty cannot exist under murderous
tyranny, as ruled in Venezuela. Those who glorify abstract sovereignty
are effectively defending impunity for tyrants. Tyrannies are not
sovereign – peoples are. An enslaved people is not free and therefore
cannot enjoy sovereignty. If someone cannot even speak freely, how can
they be sovereign? Sovereignty requires freedom above all. The West lost
this ideal when it lulled itself to sleep through hollow slogans of
international diplomacy in the service of professional bureaucrats.
President Trump reminded the West of something fundamental – without
freedom a people cannot be sovereign. What we saw in Venezuela was the
beginning of liberation of an enslaved people. Unfortunately, Brazil
under Lula defends the interests of tyranny, because the current
Brazilian government is complicit with the criminals who hijacked
Venezuela."
Q:
Do you think leftist governments in the region, including Lula's
government, showed excessive tolerance toward extreme regimes like the
ayatollah regime in Iran?
"'Tolerance'
is too gentle a word. Lula and the Latin American left are financiers,
collaborators and propagandists for these regimes."
Q: How do you assess the impact of US President Donald Trump on Latin America?
"Trump
is without any doubt the greatest world leader – he is strong,
disruptive of conventions and determined to do the right thing. He was
right to attack Iran's nuclear facilities; the world must never allow a
fanatical regime that hosts terror to possess nuclear weapons. Uranium
enrichment beyond 3 to 4% constitutes a clear signal of intent to
produce a bomb, as even the UN nuclear agency acknowledged. The capture
of the drug dealer who seized control of an entire country – the
narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela – was an operation worthy of a
movie, in which the forces of the United States Army again prevailed
and struck a blow against the São Paulo Forum (the Latin American
left-wing regimes club)."
"President
Trump firmly defends freedom and deals with criminals as they should be
dealt with – with a strong hand. I publicly thank him and the United
States Army for the successful operation in Venezuela, and thank God
that Americans chose Trump, whose moral conscience and courage restore
freedom. There is no sovereignty without freedom. Maduro is no different
from a drug cartel boss controlling a favela, or what Hamas does in
Gaza – illegitimate leaders who slaughter their people. Venezuela has
the world's largest oil reserves; countries with far fewer resources
have succeeded in thriving. May God protect Donald Trump. We pray that
after October 2026 we will establish a strong and lasting partnership
with the United States – and Brazil is the missing link to defeating
international criminals and terrorists in South America."
Westward from here
One
of the prominent characteristics of Bolsonaro the son's positions is
his warm and open relationship toward Israel. Flávio continues a clear
line of support for the Jewish state, a line that stood out especially
during his father's tenure as president. The entire Bolsonaro family
cultivated close ties with Israel, expressed deep identification with
its security struggle and stood by its side in the international arena.
Under Bolsonaro the father's rule, the political partnership between
Brazil and Israel strengthened, moving the embassy to Jerusalem was
considered, and Brazil adopted distinctly pro-Israel positions at the UN
and other international organizations.
Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and former Brazilian President
Jair Bolsonaro at the Western Wall in Jerusalem
Flávio
himself frequently cites Israel as an example of a strong, innovative
and determined country that guards its identity and security against
external threats. In the eyes of his supporters, this view also reflects
his vision for Brazil – a sovereign, proud country that does not
apologize for its values.
Against
the backdrop of Lula's return to power and Brazil's distancing from
Israel and the Western camp, Flávio Bolsonaro presents himself as a
clear alternative – a young and dynamic leader, yet simultaneously
experienced, carrying his father's legacy and seeking to return Brazil
to a path of strategic alliances with Western democracies, first and
foremost the United States and Israel. For many in the Brazilian right,
he is not just the son of a former president, but a symbol of the
continuation of a broad ideological struggle over Brazil's identity.
Q:
Relations between Brazil and Israel were particularly close during your
father's tenure. How do you see them today under President Lula, and do
you think they have suffered real damage?
"Lula
is distinctly antisemitic. He is an enthusiastic supporter of
anti-Israel terror organizations and serves as an agent for financing
and spreading the left's anti-Israel agenda in the West. Brazil's
government today is a declared enemy of Israel. Unlike my father, Lula
works to turn Brazil into a hothouse for anti-Israel terrorists. Hatred
of Israel is not just tolerated – it is deliberately spread by Lula and
his people."
Q:
If you are elected president, what concrete steps will you take to
rehabilitate and strengthen the strategic partnership between Brazil and
Israel?
"The
embassy issue must be reexamined. I believe that moving it to Jerusalem
will be an important step on the path to the alignment I aspire to.
After that, I intend to sign a series of strategic cooperation
agreements with Israel in the fields of technology, energy, security,
agriculture and culture. Our two peoples have shared values and deep
cultural and spiritual connections. I intend to take institutional and
legal steps so that Brazil will once again be a central ally of Israel."
Q: Will you do what your father didn't have time to do – and move Brazil's embassy to Jerusalem?
"Yes. That will be one of the first steps I take."
From Maduro to Milei
If
and when Flávio Bolsonaro takes his father's revenge and expels Lula
from the presidential palace, hard work awaits him. Cleaning the stables
after the leftist president and his many appointments in various
government systems will not be simple. Internal security, organized
crime and cartel violence trouble Brazil's residents even more than
Lula's controversial moves on the international level.
Q: What will be your strategy for dealing with Brazil's acute problems?
"Public
security will for the first time be the central issue in a presidential
campaign. The difference between what I propose and what President Lula
does is completely clear. It's no accident that Brazil's prisons
celebrated Lula's victory in the 2022 elections. Let me be firm – in my
administration, the police will not serve to pursue citizens for posts
and opinions on social networks, but will lead a zero-tolerance policy
toward crime. While the radical left insists on treating criminals as
victims of society – to the point that Lula claims drug dealers are the
victims of users – I begin with a very simple principle: Those who
control territory through drug trafficking, terrorize entire communities
and sentence families to violence, humiliation and terror – are not
victims. They commit serious crimes and must be treated as such. There
are repeated attempts to justify violent crime and present it as a
product of poverty. This is a mistaken narrative. It disrespects
millions of modest, hardworking and honest Brazilians who face enormous
difficulties but never choose crime. Poverty does not create criminals;
crime is a product of choice and lack of punishment. I wish for Brazil
the opposite situation – I want the poor person to thrive, become
wealthy, live in prosperity, dignity and security, and thus raise their
family. There can be no prosperity without public security."
Q: How should crime be properly addressed?
"Violent
crime rests on three pillars – drug trafficking, disarming law-abiding
citizens of their weapons, and a systematic system of early release of
criminals. First of all, drug trafficking. Almost every act of violent
crime in Brazil has a direct or indirect connection to drugs. Drug
trafficking is a central axis of violence. Second, disarming citizens of
weapons. Criminals act brazenly because they know victims are
defenseless. Carjackings in broad daylight, assaults in public spaces
and home break-ins occur because ordinary citizens have no means of
self-defense. Brazil did not adopt gun control, but imposed almost total
restrictions on legal access to it – especially since 2003, with the
disarmament law passed under Lula's rule, at the height of a corruption
affair in which monthly bribes were paid to legislators. We were
promised less weapons and less crime; the result was the opposite.
Third, early release. Violent criminals with long criminal records are
arrested time after time and quickly returned to the streets in the name
of a false morality of 'second chance,' wrapped in fake human rights.
The police do their job; the system fails – due to lax laws, judicial
activism and ideological distortion among some judges and prosecutors,
who treat violent criminals as victims. This is an unacceptable
situation.
"The
state must distinguish between cases. An occasional criminal is not
identical to a brutal member of organized crime. Most Brazilians, even
in extreme poverty, would never consider murder to obtain property. This
proves we are dealing with organized crime and deliberate violence. My
policy proposal is simple and clear – fight decisively against drug and
weapons trafficking; ensure law-abiding citizens legal access to
firearms; and put an end to irresponsible early release of criminals,
especially those connected to organized crime.
"This
exact combination, during President Jair Bolsonaro's tenure, led to the
sharpest decline in murder cases in Brazil's history. As for prisons, I
intend to follow successful examples such as El Salvador, where gang
criminals do not quickly return to the streets. The logic is simple – a
criminal imprisoned in jail does not commit atrocities against
law-abiding citizens. I am well aware that many of the steps require
legislative changes and support from Congress. The president can do
much, but not everything. Brazilians must also vote consciously for
senators and federal representatives, to ensure a parliamentary majority
committed to security, freedom and prosperity. Public security is not
just a police issue; it is the foundation for the economy, tourism,
investments and quality of life. Without security, there is no
development. With security, Brazil can finally fulfill its potential and
provide a dignified future for its citizens."
Q: What is your economic vision and how will you advance growth, investments and employment?
"Reducing
the state's involvement in the economy means cutting bureaucracy, lower
taxes and efficient government. This is the path to making Brazil truly
investment-friendly. We don't need to reinvent the wheel. We must look
at what works in the world – in countries like the United States, Japan
and Israel – and understand that greater economic freedom brings
prosperity, innovation and opportunities. My father used to say, 'With
all due respect, look at what Israel has and what it is. Now look at
what we have in Brazil and what we are not.' These words emphasize
Brazil's unrealized potential – natural resources, from iron ores to
rare metals, tourism, and diverse energy sources. Countries with far
fewer resources have succeeded. Why not Brazil?"
"I
favor views that recognize the state's limits and promote private
initiative. There are strategic areas such as national security that
require a state presence. However, Brazil cannot become a socialist
state that intervenes absolutely in the economy. The state is not the
main job producer, certainly not in peacetime. There is much to
privatize among the hundreds of government companies, many of which have
become hothouses of corruption. Brazil cannot remain large, inefficient
and captive to political and ideological interests rooted in Marxism.
A pro-Palestinian demonstration in Rio De Janeiro
"Through
a truly entrepreneurial vision – supporting startups, trusting our
young people, and attracting international investments, especially in
infrastructure and energy – we will build a stable and secure country
that encourages economic activity. Free economic activity naturally
leads to prosperity. Look at what Milei is doing in Argentina. Brazil's
potential has been blocked due to failed political decisions in the last
two decades. Of the last 24 years, Lula's Workers' Party has ruled for
17. The results are clear. This is the time for change – something that
became even more pronounced following the discussions after Maduro's
arrest. While the Brazilian left, including Lula himself, rushed to
defend a criminal regime, we stood beside freedom, democracy and
oppressed peoples. Brazil must distance itself from narco-terrorists and
march alongside great democracies – Americans, Israelis, Japanese and
other free nations with compatible values. Thus we will restore our
international dignity, credibility, growth and hope."
"Count on us"
The
name "Bolsonaro" is a significant political asset, but also a source of
polarization. Flávio's success depends on his ability to be perceived
as an independent political figure, with his own style and judgment. In
addition, he will have to assert his authority over all of Lula's
rivals. Brazil's political history demonstrates that elections are
decided when the right succeeds in uniting around one candidate.
Division between conservatives, liberals and nationalists has in the
past given the left an advantage. Flávio Bolsonaro's success depends on
his ability to be perceived as a candidate capable of uniting broad
forces – not just inheriting his father's support base. But the many
challenges do not detract from his confidence. "I am certain I will
win," he declares. "Beyond the belief that this is God's will,
Brazilians cannot endure another four years of incompetence and
corruption under Lula. Brazil will be forced to choose between darkness
with Lula and prosperity with Bolsonaro."
Flávio
Bolsonaro's message to the Israeli public is also full of confidence
and optimism. "To the people of the Holy Land – the only democracy in
the region – I say, do not lose hope in the struggle for justice,
freedom and defense of life. You are a great, strong people who inspire
admiration and inspiration. Millions understand the legitimacy of your
struggle and stand by your side with determination so that a tragedy
like the Holocaust never happens again. The enemy is powerful, cruel and
organized. But through faith in God, unity and moral courage, those who
defend freedom and life are infinitely stronger than those who spread
hatred, terror and destruction. I embrace you as a brother. Know that
you can count on good Brazilians – men and women who will never forgive
barbarism and terror. May God protect you, strengthen you and guide you.
Count on us."
