Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – A far-right candidate who pilloried homosexuality and now leads the race to be Brazil’s next president adopted an election-day anthem Sunday sung by one of the world’s gay icons: “We Are the Champions.”

The song by Queen — fronted by famed homosexual British singer Freddy Mercury who died in 1991 from illness related to AIDS — played over a jubilant video montage of Jair Bolsonaro on the campaign trail.

The video was released on Bolsonaro’s official Instagram feed just ahead of the first round of presidential elections on Sunday. It notably showed a moment when Bolsonaro was stabbed last month by a lone assailant over the part of the song that goes: “I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face, But I’ve come through.”

Although Queen’s stirring songs are often used by politicians of all stripes to rouse supporters, the use of one by Bolsonaro was notable.

The candidate, a former paratrooper and longterm member of Brazil’s congress, is known for making comments degrading women and bashing gays.

He once said he’d prefer to see one of his sons die in an accident than be homosexual. The 63-year-old Catholic, who says he defends the sanctity of the family, also suggested that homosexuality can be beaten out of gays.

However, Bolsonaro recently insisted his views had evolved. In a Facebook video this week he promised he would govern for all Brazilians.

“We are to go govern for all, independent of religion, even for those who are atheists. We will govern for everybody, for gays as well, because there are gays who are fathers, who are mothers,” he said.