Solidarity with Brazilian communist Sofia Manzano — Debunking fake news spread by Bolsonaristas

PCB cadre Sofia Manzano

Far-right groups related to ex-President Jair Bolsonaro have unleashed a slanderous attack against Brazilian communist, cadre of the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB), Sofia Manzano, claiming that she participated undercover in January 8 violent riots in order to criminalize Bolsonaro supporters and that she is an advisor to the current social democrat President Lula da Silva. 

In a statement the National Political Commission of the PCB stresses out:

Comrade Sofia Manzano has been the target of attacks on social media. Far-right groups and people linked to Bolsonaro are spreading fake news through which they lie twice. On one side, they claim that Sofia Manzano is an advisor to President Lula, and on the other hand that she acted undercover in the extreme right camps encouraging the acts of January 8, with the aim of criminalizing Bolsonaro supporters.

1. Comrade Sofia is neither an advisor nor does she hold any position in the federal government. The PCB has complete political independence from the federal government and, although it nominated votes and campaigned in the second round for the victory of President Lula, we do not participate in the government, nor do we hold or request positions.

2. There is a false image circulating attributed to Sofia Manzano as a supporter of the acts of January 8th. It is very evident that the circulated image is not of our comrade Sofia. It is yet another crude attempt to force a supposed narrative of infiltration by left-wing militants as provocateurs of the January 8 acts.

Extremist groups that support Bolsonaro do not need help to criminalize themselves, as they invariably act by promoting agitation and coup movements and encourage hate speech and all kinds of prejudice.

Once again, the uses of what is conventionally called fake news by the Brazilian extreme right are explicit, as a way of distorting reality to meet their political objectives, a fascist method of action par excellence.

The PCB will seek to hold the authors of the false posts criminally responsible and adopt the appropriate political and legal measures on the matter.

We call on PCB militants, from our collectives, as well as our friends and allies, to provide active solidarity with Comrade Sofia, protesting against fascist posts and reinforcing the information in the networks and places of action that this is one more extreme right-wing criminal activity.

pcb.org.br