Neymar Jr backs Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil elections

Neymar Jr, one of the world’s biggest footballing stars, has extended support to Jair Bolsonaro, the controversial president of Brazil, ahead of the month-long elections in the South American country starting October 2. 

Brazil is electing its next president while also awaiting the football World Cup to start on November 20.

Amid all of this, Neymar Jr has appeared in a video dancing to one of Bolsonaro’s campaign songs. 

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The video, which appears to be created using user-generated footage, also features the right-wing president of Brazil dancing with supporters, to an electronic dance song with the lyrics, “Vote, vote, and press ‘confirm’ for 22, that’s Bolsonaro.”

Bolsonaro is contesting against the former president and left leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. By the time the World Cup starts, Brazil will have elected its next president.  

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Watch the video here: 

Bolsonaro is a right-wing leader of Brazil’s Liberal Party. The 67-year-old has been accused of carrying out a genocide against indigenous people. His alleged mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the death of 600,000 Brazilians, according to a US Congressional inquiry.

Against him is Worker’s Party’s Lula Da Silva, a social democrat, who has been Brazil’s president twice in 2002 and 2006.

Lula Da Silva espouses progressive political positions such as cash injection to the poor, a policy for environmental protection and strengthening family agriculture. Lula’s last stint as president was plagued with multiple corruption scandals.

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While Neymar Jr has extended support to Bolsonaro, the President paid a visit to the footballer’s nonprofit called Neymar Junior Institute, according to an AFP report.

“Hello, President Bolsonaro… I wanted to thank you for your illustrious visit,” the footballer wrote posting pictures of the president’s visit on social media.

The AFP report says the footballer and the politician bonded over their shared love for Christianity.