Key Takeaways
- Israel Augusto went viral after climbing a São Paulo bus-stop structure shirtless and masked while holding a Palestinian flag and banners supporting President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
- Dubbed “gostoso da Paulista,” or “the hottie from Paulista,” Augusto said he identifies with the left but wants society to move beyond the traditional left-right divide.
- Augusto defended free expression and democracy while rejecting efforts to silence others or support totalitarian regimes ahead of Brazil’s October 25 presidential runoff.
A masked shirtless man in sweatpants has the internet in a frenzy amid Brazil's presidential race.
The man, later identified as Israel Augusto, climbed a bus-stop structure near the Trianon-Masp metro station on Sunday (Oct. 11) and was perched above the crowd at the March for Democracy in São Paulo. He was seen holding a Palestinian flag in one hand and flags backing Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Photos and videos of the shirtless demonstrator quickly flooded X, and became a major talking point of the day.
Later on, the nickname "gostoso da Paulista" (“the hottie from Paulista”) had stuck.
The man behind the mask also had some insightful things to say.
While speaking to content creator Styven Kyomen, Augusto was asked about what side he aligns with politically.
“I identify more with the left, obviously, but I think we need to break away from this left-right ideology, because it was built in a context totally different from the reality we live in today,” Augusto said in Portuguese.
In a separate clip, Kyomen asked if he would rather have a child who is homophobic or a “Bolsonarista,” or someone who supports the right-wing ideologies of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and his son—current presidential candidate and Donald Trump ally, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
"It's not about what I want. I fight for a better, more equal world where people have the right to simply exist,” Augusto answered. “If I happen to have a child one day and they hold those kinds of views, that’s fine—we live in a democracy, after all. What they can't do, however, is try to silence others or support a totalitarian, dictatorial regime. I don't agree with that. I support—and will fight until my last day for—people's right to speak and express their opinions. But I have absolutely no compassion or affection for those who show no affection for their fellow human beings.”
According to the Associated Press, Brazil will vote in the Lula-Bolsonaro runoff on October 25.
