América Latina & Caribe

Milei received the controversial medal of the “Bolsonaro Club”. What do the 3 i’s mean and why are they criticized?

Other people who have received the medal includes Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán, among other prominent right-wing leaders.

In his brief visit to Brazil, President Javier Milei was inducted to the exclusive “Bolsonaro Club”, a distinction created by former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for his closest ideological allies.

During the induction ceremony, Milei received the “medal of the three i's”, a significant symbol within the Bolsonaro circle, with homophobic and sexist overtones. When asked about the meaning of the three i's, the Argentine president was informed by Eduardo Bolsonaro, Jair's son, of their connotations.

The first “í” stands for “imorrível” (immortal), highlighting Jair Bolsonaro's survival after the attack suffered during his presidential campaign. “They stabbed him and he is still alive,” Eduardo emphasized.

The second “í” is “imbrochável”, a word without exact translation into Spanish, which, according to Bolsonaro Jr., alludes to male virility during sexual intercourse, provoking laughter and a jocular apology to Karina Milei for the explanation.

The last “í” is “incomível” (incompatible), which the Bolsonaro family uses to indicate that they have never had sex nor romantic relationships with men.

However, the awarding of this medal was not without controversy, as it was criticized by some who consider it homophobic. On social media, there was both support and rejection of Milei's visit to Camboriú, where he met Jair Bolsonaro, highlighting the polarized opinions regarding this event and its political implications.