Former education minister Abraham Weintraub expected back in Brazil
Brazil’s former Education Minister Abraham Weintraub is expected to return to Brazil today after eighteen months in the United States.
Weintraub, one of President Bolsonaro’s most combative loyalists, announced his thirty-day return on social media. In the video, he criticized São Paulo Governor João Doria, comparing his COVID-19 restrictions to dictatorship.
As Education Minister, Weintraub faced criticism for racist actions, as well as frequent battles with government officials, calling Supreme Court justices ‘bums’ who should be jailed.
In June 2020, Weintraub abruptly resigned after the Supreme Court placed him under investigation in a disinformation case regarding Brazil’s electoral process. In a video announcement, Weintraub said he would be safer in the US, where he accepted a position as an Executive Director at the World Bank.
Weintraub’s visit to Brazil is officially for a medical examination. However, he is likely to explore the possibility of running in the 2022 São Paulo gubernatorial election. Although not affiliated with a political party, his social media presence suggests that he will run on a far-right platform—potentially in an alliance with his brother Arthur. Due to his closeness with increasingly disfavored President Bolsonaro, it is unlikely Weintraub will win the election if he chooses to run.
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