Story By: William McGee, Sub-Editor:  Lee Bullen, Agency: Newsflash

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has caused yet another stir by claiming it was regarded as a “punishment” to have to sit next to a girl when he was a child.

It is not the first time President Bolsonaro has made deprecatory comments towards young girls, and even the president’s own family is not immune. In a speech at Rio de Janeiro’s Hebraica Club in April 2017, he said: “I have five children. Four are men, and then in a moment of weakness the fifth came out a girl.”

In addition to his misogynistic statements, President Bolsonaro has been accused of making racist, homophobic, anti-immigrant, anti-democracy and event pro-torture comments. He has often been dubbed the “Trump of the Tropics”.

The 65-year-old made the controversial comments this time during his weekly hour-long social media livestream from the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, on 26th November.

Flanked by Education Minister Milton Ribeiro, Literacy Secretary Carlos Nadalim and a sign language interpreter, the Brazilian premier said: “I studied in 1964 at the ‘Coronel Siqueira de Moraes’ School in Jundiai. I remember Ms Tutu was there. That was her name. Tutu. And I remember pupil Rosana sat next to me. When she put you sitting next to a girl, you were ashamed. It was a punishment you suffered.”

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