Embattled U.S. Rep. George Santos was drag queen in Brazil pageants, performer says

Record ID: 1707862

  • Title: Embattled U.S. Rep. George Santos was drag queen in Brazil pageants, performer says
  • Date: 24th January 2023
  • Summary: NITEROI CITY, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (JANUARY 23, 2023) (REUTERS) BRAZILIAN PERFORMER EULA ROCHARD POINTING TO THE NITEROI MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART ROCHARD LOOKING AT ART EXHIBITION ROCHARD LOOKING AT SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZILIAN PERFORMER, EULA ROCHARD, SAYING: "I was lying in bed watching the national news, and they started talking about this congressman (George Santos), but I wasn't paying much attention. When they mentioned the city of Niteroi, a huge city in Rio de Janeiro, I started to pay attention, and I began to see that I knew this person. I commented on this in a WhatsApp group, and people told me that I was crazy, that I was old, and that I should take medicine because this man lives in the United States. But since I have a good memory, I went to my collection of old newspaper photos; I searched and found the picture here. Wait, I'm going to look for the newspaper. This newspaper here is from 2008; if you look at the front page, it says: "Homophobia criminalisation now." At that time, homophobia was not a crime. It was 2008." ROCHARD SHOWING NEWSPAPER (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZILIAN PERFORMER, EULA ROCHARD, SAYING: "When Anthony met me, I was famous for my show in 2005; he was not an MP. In 2005 he was a 17-year-old boy. Everybody knows what a 17-year-old boy is like; he wants to have boyfriends, drink, and enjoy himself, something typical for that age. His name is Anthony because he is George Anthony Santos. His name is long. His father lived in the United States, and his mother was a house cleaner in Niteroi. There is a nearby club called "Canto do Rio," and his mother played bingo there. His mother played there, and he stayed here in my house, but he was not the person he is now; he was only 17 years old. But by that time, he was a liar, and from time to time, I would scold him to make him aware of the reality." VARIOUS OF ROCHARD WALKING TOWARDS CANTO DO RIO CLUB (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZILIAN PERFORMER, EULA ROCHARD, SAYING: "In 2005, this was a bingo hall, and his mother played bingo there. As I live nearby, he came to my house, and his mother stayed at the bingo." EXTERIOR OF OLD BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZILIAN PERFORMER, EULA ROCHARD, SAYING: "This was like a club, and this is where the gay gala of the city of Niteroi was held in this building here that is all destroyed now. It's many years old too." ROCHARD LOOKING INTO THE BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZILIAN PERFORMER, EULA ROCHARD, SAYING: " The diversity group in Niteroi organized the LGBT parade. At that event, he (George Santos) wore a black dress. I have that video. He wore a very simple black dress. They interviewed him at the event; he said he worked in the best houses in Rio, which was a lie." ROCHARD WATCHING VIDEO WHERE SANTOS APPEARS (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZILIAN PERFORMER, EULA ROCHARD, SAYING: "I saw him again in 2008. In 2008 he already had money. He was wearing very nice clothes in the 2008 gay parade. He wanted to be Miss Rio de Janeiro because whoever won that contest would compete in Miss Brazil in Juiz de Fora (state of Minas Gerais). He lost, he had a beautiful face, but he was chubby, and the Miss Rio de Janeiro's are lovely. I don't know if there are beauty pageants everywhere but here in Rio de Janeiro, there are Miss Gay pageants. He lost the contest, but he had a lot of good material that he brought from the United States. When he went to the United States, he sold everything." VARIOUS OF ROCHARD SHOWING DRESSES ROCHARD HOLDING NECKLACES AND WALKING TOWARDS BEDROOM
  • Embargoed: 7th February 2023 22:09
  • Keywords: Brazil Congress George Santos U.S beauty pangeas
  • Location: NITEROI CITY, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
  • City: NITEROI CITY, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: South America / Central America,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001463024012023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: U.S. Representative George Santos competed as a drag queen in Brazilian beauty pageants 15 years ago, an old acquaintance of his told Reuters on Monday (January 23), in contrast to what Santos has said, which has drawn criticism for the openly gay Republican congressman who holds staunchly conservative views.
    The embattled freshman congressman has also faced calls from fellow New York Republicans to step down over fabrications about his career and history.
    A 58-year-old Brazilian performer, who uses the drag name Eula Rochard, said she befriended the now-congressman when he was cross-dressing in 2005 at the first gay pride parade in Niteroi, a Rio de Janeiro suburb.
    Three years later, Santos competed in a drag beauty pageant in Rio, Rochard said.
    Rochard told Reuters that the 34-year-old congressman participated in drag queen beauty pageants and aspired to be Miss Gay Rio de Janeiro.
    Santos is the first openly gay Republican to win a House seat in Congress as a non-incumbent, but has positioned himself as a staunch conservative on many social issues.
    He has backed Florida's controversial "Parental Rights in Education" law, which prohibits classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity, leading critics to call it the "don't say gay" law.
    Republicans are increasingly denouncing drag shows and performers, claiming they are harmful to children.
    Santos, responding in October to criticism of his support for the Florida law, told USA Today: "I am openly gay, have never had an issue with my sexual identity in the past decade, and I can tell you and assure you, I will always be an advocate for LGBTQ folks."
    Rochard said the congressman was drag queen in 2005, with a simple black dress, but in 2008 "he came back to Niteroi with a lot of money," and a flamboyant pink dress to show for it.
    Santos competed in a drag beauty pageant that year using the drag name Kitara Ravache but lost, Rochard said.
    "He's changed a lot, but he was always a liar," Rochard said.
    (Production: Sebastian Rocandio, Liamar Ramos)
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