Brazil’s president says journalist has a ‘homosexual’s face’ at heated press conference

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Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro blasted a journalist and said he has a “homosexual’s face” over questions about corruption allegations involving his son during a heated news conference Friday.

An upset Bolsonaro accused the press of having a bias against him and his son Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, before accusing the press of unfair coverage of him and his family.

Prosecutors in Rio de Janeiro are investigating the younger Balsonaro over allegations he hired “ghost workers,” employees with no duties, during his time as a state legislator. The workers allegedly kicked back part of their salaries to be laundered through a chocolate shop he co-owns.

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In this Oct. 1, 2019 file photo, President Jair Bolsonaro attends a ceremony to launch an agro program at the Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil. Bolsonaro lashed out at journalists on Friday, singling out one as looking like a homosexual, as news reports of a corruption investigation linked to his son continued making headlines. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)

He has denied the allegations against him. The accusations have been problematic for the elder Bolsonaro, who was elected on an anti-crime-and-corruption platform.

During Friday’s meeting with journalists, he complained of bias press coverage, most notably, reports that he is racist and accusations that he’s committed environmental crimes.

“Your face looks an awful lot like a homosexual’s, but that’s no reason to accuse you of being a homosexual,” he told one reporter.

The president’s aides and supporters nearby laughed at the comment. Others took to social media to post selfies with the caption “awfully homosexual face.”

Jean Wyllys, an openly gay former lawmaker who often clashed Bolsonaro when the two served in Congress, was one of them.

“‘An awfully homosexual face.’ With pride!” Wyllys tweeted.

In this Oct. 22, 2019 file photo, Brazilian Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, son of the nation's president, attends the final voting session on pension reform at the Senate in Brasilia, Brazil. Sen. Bolsonaro on Thursday accused "ill-intentioned" prosecutors of persecuting his family, one day after they searched a chocolate shop he co-owns as part of an investigation into allegedly suspicious financial movements. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)

In this Oct. 22, 2019 file photo, Brazilian Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, son of the nation’s president, attends the final voting session on pension reform at the Senate in Brasilia, Brazil. Sen. Bolsonaro on Thursday accused “ill-intentioned” prosecutors of persecuting his family, one day after they searched a chocolate shop he co-owns as part of an investigation into allegedly suspicious financial movements. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)

Balsonaro has a history of making derogatory comments aimed at women and minorities.

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Asked at the morning briefing whether he had proof that a suspicious deposit into his wife’s bank account was merely repayment of a debt, Bolsonaro instructed the journalist, “Ask your mother if she gave your dad a receipt,” prompting a cheer from his supporters.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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