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José Medeiros mocks voters in leaked audio during Mato Grosso Senate race
Leaked audio recordings have sparked controversy involving José Medeiros, a federal deputy and candidate for the Senate in Mato Grosso. In the recordings, which were sent to Chico Mendes, the mayor of Diamantino and brother of Supreme Federal Court (STF) Minister Gilmar Mendes, Medeiros mocks his own electorate, stating, “You know my voter is the one who prays to aliens and drinks detergent, right?”
In the same series of messages, Medeiros discusses his political strategy, claiming he instructed his marketing team to avoid mentioning the STF in campaign materials. He noted that while he avoids attacking the institution as a whole, he expressed a willingness to “scold” Minister Alexandre de Moraes if requested.
Medeiros has not denied the authenticity of the audio, instead characterizing the situation as part of the “dirtiest election in history” and accusing opponents of attempting to destroy his reputation through orchestrated operations involving the STF. He also claimed he met with Gilmar Mendes in Brasília to clarify rumors regarding a potential Federal Police operation against him, which the Minister reportedly denied.
Entities
Alexandre de Moraes · Chico Mendes · Francisco Mendes · Gilmar Mendes · José Medeiros · Liberal Party · Mato Grosso
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Medeiros is a federal deputy and a candidate for the Senate representing the Liberal Party (PL) in Mato Grosso. revistaforum.com.br · srzd.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The audio messages were sent to Francisco 'Chico' Mendes, the mayor of Diamantino and brother of Supreme Court Minister Gilmar Mendes. revistaforum.com.br · srzd.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] José Medeiros stated in an audio message that his voters are people who pray to aliens and drink detergent. revistaforum.com.br · srzd.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Medeiros instructed his marketing team to remove all references to the Supreme Federal Court (STF) from campaign materials. revistaforum.com.br
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Eduardo Bolsonaro defended José Medeiros following the release of the audio recordings. revistaforum.com.br