“To abandon conflicting agendas is cowardly and stupid,” says Jan Willis.

Nor does it mean that he will fail to make necessary criticisms of Labor governments, both in the future and in the past: “I do not withdraw any of my political criticism of Lula and Dilma. When Dilma backed out of a school project without homophobia, it was unacceptable to me. me, though I understood what made her back off.”

Recently, Willis received an invitation from the Labor Party to run for the position of federal representative from São Paulo, but said he declined the invitation.

“Despite my banishment, I got my life back. For me, to be a candidate, they must ensure that I will return to Brazil and be safe. If that happens, the possibility can be more realistic,” he explained.

international agendas

In addition to being a gay activist, Jan Willis is also known for advocating controversial views regarding international issues, such as the embargo against Cuba. And although the former deputy strongly condemns the embargo, he believes that “Cuba has enough time to transform the island into a social democracy, granting political freedoms” and describes the Cuban government as a dictatorship, even if it is on the left.

“This does not mean that in terms of social justice Cuba was not an example. But it was also a model because it received international assistance, despite the embargo. I think it is time for the revolutionaries to start granting political freedoms, especially to a generation that has no memories of the Cuban Revolution,” He said.

However, the most controversial point is the position of the former parliamentarian towards Israel, the country he visited to give research and lectures, and whose existence he strongly defends.

Talking about erasing Zionism is a stupid expression, especially for someone who does not know the history of Zionism. There is right-wing and left-wing Zionism. Those who say that are mostly anti-Semitic people,” he charged, although acknowledging that anti-Zionism does not necessarily mean anti-Semitism.

For him, the conflict between Israel and Palestine is complex and involves international players, such as Saudi Arabia and the United States. In addition, he defended that criticism could target the Israeli state or government, but not the people: “Do you think it would be legal to treat the whole of Brazil as a ‘pocket employee’ just because the president is Bolsonaro? That’s what the left is doing towards Israel, he is It treats all Israelis and all Jews in the world as responsible for what the right-wing government is doing in the country.”

Willis said he supports a two-state solution and has stressed that he will not undertake any kind of boycott of Israel, although he considers the theory that the country has become a state analogous to South African apartheid and theocracy. sustainable one.

“It is sustainable, but debatable. From this perspective, Brazil has become a theocracy and militia, with Damaris [Alves, ministra da Mulher, da Família e dos Direitos Humanos]And [ex-ministro da Educação Abraham] Weintraub, among others. Israel should not be spared criticism, but this criticism is directed at the government and cannot be confused with anti-Semitism. He defended it, it must be done by discrimination.