‘Our Free Trade Zone’, says Bolsonaro as he thanks the support of Manaus’ mayor for re-election

Marcela Leiros – from Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – President and candidate for re-election Jair Bolsonaro (PL) thanked the declared support of the mayor of Manaus, David Almeida (Avante), this Monday, 10, in Brasilia, and said that the union happens “for Manaus, for Amazonas, for our Free Zone”. In a video posted on Instagram, Almeida also asked for votes for the president and for the governor of Amazonas, Wilson Lima (Union).

“We are working in this 2nd round. I ask for your help, your support, your vote for president 22 and governor 44, Wilson Lima”, Almeida stressed, alongside Bolsonaro.

“One more effort, one more force for us to guarantee our reelection and also that of governor Wilson Lima so that Amazonas and Brazil, more and more, are united by the same ideal”, added the president.

Watch the video:

The meeting comes two months after the mayor said Bolsonaro could not treat “with whip” the federal government decrees that decreased the competitiveness of products manufactured in the Free Trade Zone. In August, David Almeida said he agreed with other Bolsonaro agendas, but complained about “attacks” made against the Manaus Free Trade Zone (MFTZ), which threatened jobs produced directly and indirectly by the economic model.

“I was his voter and the elected candidate cannot treat the people with a whip, Bolsonaro is treating the people of Amazonas with a whip, the people who helped him”, Almeida said at the time. In May, he called Economy Minister Paulo Guedes an “imbecile” for the same reason.

‘Necessary answers’

David Almeida was received on Monday, by Bolsonaro, at the Alvorada Palace. After the meeting, the two gave an interview to the press, in which the mayor said that his disagreement with the president involved the Manaus Free Trade Zone, but that he received “the necessary answers”. He also stressed that he has the autonomy to declare his support, since Avante is part of the coalition of candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).

“I share his thoughts, I am a Christian, an evangelical since I was born, and I defend all his principles. What I was disagreeing about was the issue of the Free Trade Zone, and I got all the necessary answers. And I have been with him since 2015. Avante walks on a different side, but I have my autonomy within the party to be able to choose the one who will govern our country for the next four years, giving us the condition to develop our country”, stressed the mayor.

When questioned by the press about not moving the Tax on Industrialized Products (IPI) for products manufactured in the Manaus Free Trade Zone, Jair Bolsonaro, in a brief reply said to be a settled issue: “It’s settled. Everything is solved. No problem”, said the president.