Carla Zambelli Salgado de Oliveira (born 3 July 1980)[1] is a Brazilian far-right activist and politician. Founder of the movement On the Streets, Zambelli gained notoriety through her activism in favor of the impeachment of the ex-president Dilma Rousseff.[2][3] In the elections of 2018, she was elected federal deputy for São Paulo, by the Social Liberal Party (PSL).[4]
In 2017 she declared herself a monarchist, after conversations with members of the imperial family.[3] She is against the quota policy, except for people with disabilities.[4]
In the elections of 2018, she was elected federal deputy by the PSL.[6][7] She said that her line of action in the Chamber of Deputies will continue to be the fight against corruption. According to Zambelli, this will be done through three pillars: "less state, more justice and real education."[4]
In April 2022, she stated that she was gathering support for fellow lawmaker Daniel Silveira to be given amnesty.[8]
COVID-19
On May 30, 2020, while on the Brasil Urgente [pt] show, Zambelli stated that empty coffins were being buried in the state of Ceará, supposedly as an attempt to inflate COVID-19 death statistics. The photograph mentioned by Zambelli as evidence was later shown to have been taken in 2017, in the state of São Paulo, and was part of an investigation of a case of life insurance fraud.[9] Zambelli's statement prompted Ceará's government to declare they would take "appropriate judicial measures".[10]
On August 18, 2020, Zambelli's press service announced she had contracted COVID-19, and would begin treatment using hydroxychloroquine.[11] Despite its potential negative health side effects, Zambelli has praised the drug on multiple occasions, and attributed the First LadyMichelle Bolsonaro's recovery of COVID-19 to hydroxychloroquine.[12]
On August 24, 2020, Zambelli was hospitalized for "clinical exams and the investigation of an autoimmune disease".[13] Two days later, on August 26, 2020, Zambelli posted on Twitter that she was "100% cured" due to early treatment using hydroxychloroquine.[14] However, on August 28, 2020, the hospital that had admitted her denied she had contracted COVID-19 in the first place, and stated the following:[15]
Após extensa investigação clínica, a equipe médica que acompanha a deputada chegou à conclusão de que a mesma não teve a infecção pela COVID-19 [...] Foi feito o diagnóstico de endometriose profunda e iniciado o tratamento.
After extensive clinical investigation, the medical team that has been taking care of the deputy came to the conclusion that she did not have the infection due to COVID-19 [...] The diagnosis was deep endometriosis and treatment has begun.
After the statement, Zambelli claimed her COVID-19 test was a false positive.[16] Following the controversy and public outcry, Zambelli deleted the tweet where she attributed her recovery to the use of hydroxychloroquine.[14]
In March 2022, Zambelli launched a website to provide resources for those who did not wish to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, citing an excerpt for Brazil's Civil Code stating that "no one can be compelled to submit, at the risk of life, to medical treatment or surgical intervention. Zambelli was filmed on the eve of the November 2022 presidential elections, in Jardins, a neighborhood in the central area of the capital of São Paulo, entering a bar with a revolver in hand. She was caught on camera wielding a pistol and chasing a journalist, and later fled Brazil to Florida for three weeks.[17] On the day of the approach, Zambelli was not arrested in the act.[18]
Controversies
Arrest for defamation of federal deputy
In June 2017, Zambelli was accused of defamation, and placed under citizen's arrest by federal deputies Wadih Damous [pt] and Paulo Pimenta, members of the Chamber of Deputies. The accusation came after Zambelli claimed she was "working, unlike them, who were stealing". Pimenta had legislative police escort her to the police station inside the Congress.[19][20] The deputy, however, did not press charges against Zambelli.[21]
Defamation of Jean Wyllys
In 2018, Zambelli was condemned over her online accusations of pedophilia against Jean Wyllys, a political opponent.[22] After court battles, she organized a Crowdfund among her supporters, refusing to pay legal damages personally.[23]
Alleged nepotism
In September 2019, Veja magazine reported Zambelli used her political influence to have her son get in Colégio Militar de Brasília [pt], without having to go through the selection process. Zambelli claimed she had to request her son be admitted because they had previously received "threats". When questioned, the school responded that the Army's Commander is entitled to evaluate cases "considered to be special".[24]
Threatening man with a gun
In October 2022, less than a day before the 2022 elections, Zambelli chased a man down the street who was arguing with her group of friends about politics. She then proceeded to point a pistol at him and shoot into the air, chasing the man down streets and into a bar. She yelled at him to lay on the floor and coerced him into apologizing. She later claimed he had assaulted her, although this claim was disproven after videos of the moment were released. Opposing deputies proposed revoking her mandate as well as charging her with breaking a federal law that prohibits anyone to bear guns within 24 hours of any national election.[25][26]
