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The youtuber Felipe Neto, 32, whom I saw for the first time this year on the television program Roda Viva, on TV Cultura, was surprised and says that he was anesthetized when he received the news: his name was among the 100 most influential people of the world. in 2020 on the “Time” list, published this Tuesday.
“I never imagined that I would go this far. When I started recording videos, ten years ago, in the back of my mother’s house, in Engenho Novo, I just wanted to have fun,” recalls the absolute leader of Brazilian social networks, with more 60 years. millions of followers on different platforms.
Before Felipe, only 10 Brazilians had been included in the top 100 of this list of notables, created in 2004 by the American magazine. This year, the other Brazilian is President Jair Bolsonaro, who was nominated for the second time in a row in the “Leaders” category.
“The fact that Bolsonaro is also on the list is not surprising, quite the opposite. As the worst president in the world in the fight against covid-19 and the fires in the Amazon and the Pantanal, he is listed as a negative honor. the text associated with your image to understand ”, Felipe told Estadão.
For him, this just goes to show the importance of what it means to be an influencer.
“Being more influential does not necessarily mean a good thing. It is what you do with that influence that will really determine your legacy. I will continue to use that influence for positive values, in the fight for human rights, for democracy and to combat misinformation. and fascism. I can only thank all those who accompanied me and accompany me throughout this history and say that this is only the beginning “.
In the magazine’s text, Bolsonaro is described as skeptical about the coronavirus pandemic and indifferent to deforestation in the Amazon. And remember that, despite this, in August he had 37% approval at the polls, not only for the payment of emergency aid, but also thanks to a fervent group of supporters, defined as “almost a cult.”
In his videos, Felipe has discussed topics such as politics, anti-fake news law, human rights, LGBTQ and racism.
Throughout 2020, there was a real war on social networks between supporters of the representatives of these two antagonistic Brazilians (Bolsonaro has close to 40 million followers), which made Felipe even happier with the news.
“Being on this list is an indescribable honor. Not only for the achievement, but also for the reason for being there. It was a very difficult year, full of threats, persecutions and attempts to destroy reputation. We will prevail because we are united, because we are strong and because the fascists are not going to win “, recalls the youtuber, who faced a smear campaign, even with false accusations of pedophilia, for having harshly criticized the president in a video published in the” New York Times “.
Named in the “Icons” category, along with names like Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza and Patice Cullors, the three founders of the Black Lives Matter movement, and American professor Angela Davis, Felipe Neto occupies a free space on social networks that political leaders, with the exception of Bolsonaro, have not yet learned to use.
Life that goes on.
