Why could Brazil's democracy be under threat? | The Economist

  • 5 years ago
Jair Bolsonaro is the front-runner in Brazil's presidential election. If the right-wing populist wins, the survival of democracy in Latin America's largest country could be put at risk.

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Jair Bolsonaro is being called "Brazil's Donald Trump" and is the front-runner to become Brazil's next president. Were he to win it could put the very survival of democracy in Brazil at risk.

Former president Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva led the presidential race but he had been jailed on corruption charges and has since been banned from standing.

Mr Bolsonaro is a right-wing populist. He denounces political correctness and provokes controversy. He claimed he would rather have a dead son than a gay son and would not rape a congresswoman because she was "very ugly".

A recent assassination attempt has made him more popular. How did it come to this? Brazilians do not trust their politicians. An ongoing series of investigations known as lava jato exposed enormous corruption in the political class. Scores of politicians are under investigation and 12 have been convicted. Brazil is also coming out of the worst recession in its history. The number of murders is at a record high with 175 killings per day.

Democracy in Brazil is young. From 1964 to 1985 Brazil had a military dictatorship - a period of the country's history Mr Bolsonaro praises. He plans to put Generals in charge of some government ministries which could lead to a more militaristic-style of government.

Many Brazilians are disillusioned with the political establishment and believe Mr Bolsonaro's anti-establishment politics will bring about change.

Brazil is in desperate need of political and economic reform. But Mr Bolsonaro is not the man to bring it about.

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