Latest news with #Bolsonarismo
Int'l Business Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
In Backing Brazil's Bolsonaro, Trump May Be Helping Lula
US President Donald Trump's backing for a far-right Brazilian ally could inadvertently boost leftist President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva's flagging political fortunes, analysts say. Brazilians on both sides of the political aisle have been angered by a threatened 50 percent tariff on exports to the US -- a penalty for what Trump calls a "witch hunt" against ex-president Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro is on trial for allegedly plotting a coup against Lula, who narrowly beat him in a bitter 2022 election that deeply divided voters in the South American powerhouse. Lula's popularity has tanked amid persistent inflation, anger over an alleged social security scam to defraud retirees, and a proposal to raise tax on financial transactions. But he seems to have been bolstered by Washington's threats: rallying Brazilians against a common meddlesome enemy. "Trump gave Lula a great gift," analyst Andre Cesar of the HOLD marketing consultancy told AFP. Rejecting US "interference," Lula's administration has launched a patriotic campaign under the slogan: "Brazil ('Brasil' in Portuguese) is written with an S for Sovereignty." The former trade unionist has been sporting a baseball cap with the words "Brazil belongs to Brazilians," and made fun of Trump at a recent event by offering to send him a local fruit as a treatment against "bad mood" and "tariff fights." Lula is also strategizing with leaders of industry and agribusiness who stand to lose much in a tariff war, but are traditionally allies in Bolsonaro's conservative "Bibles, bullets and beef" coalition. "Lula taxes the rich, Bolsonaro taxes Brazilians," rings another slogan adopted by the administration in Brasilia. The president's entourage has been relishing an apparent political boon from the threatened tariff they nevertheless hope will never come to pass. "Bolsonarismo wants to hold Brazil hostage to save Bolsonaro. It's great" for the left, a member of Lula's team told AFP on condition of anonymity, referring to the movement named after the ex-president's supporters. "Now we need to make the most of it until next year," when Brazil goes to the polls to elect a president for the next four years. Lula, 79, has not said whether he will seek reelection. Bolsonaro, for his part, has been ruled ineligible to hold office by a court that found him guilty of spreading misinformation about Brazil's electoral system. On the back foot, few in Brazil's political right welcomed the tariff move despite having agitated for US measures against Lula's administration and the courts for their "persecution" of Bolsonaro. Among the rare defenders was congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro -- the former president's son -- who wrote: "Thank you President Trump. Make Brazil Free Again," in an all-caps social media post after the US president's own writing style. Bolsonaro himself was more guarded in his response, and at pains to stress he was "not happy" about the tariff pain Brazilian producers would suffer. Sao Paulo governor Tarcisio de Freitas -- a possible 2026 right-wing presidential candidate -- also toned down his usual antagonism towards Lula to call for "joint efforts" against US tariffs that would inflict deep pain on Brazil's richest state and its lucrative aerospace industry. Geraldo Monteiro, a political science professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, said Trump's threats "may have shifted the game" by "further isolating the far-right" in Brazil. "There was an unexpected convergence of interests between Lula's government and the business class, in addition to a convergence of the political class to align with Lula," he told AFP. A sign branding Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro 'Enemies of the people' at a protest in Sao Paulo AFP This handout picture from the Brazilian presidency shows Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wearing a cap with the words: 'Brazil belongs to Brazilians' AFP
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bolsonaro faces historic trial in Brazil
June 13 (UPI) -- Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is in the final stage of a historic trial before Brazil's Supreme Federal Court over his alleged role in an attempted coup following his 2022 election loss. The trial, now in its final phase of evidence collection, will determine Bolsonaro's legal fate and could end his political aspirations to reclaim the presidency. Since mid-May, Bolsonaro and several former aides have faced legal proceedings unprecedented in Brazil's recent history. On Tuesday, Bolsonaro appeared in court to respond to the charges. Prosecutors accuse Bolsonaro of plotting to overturn the 2022 election results to stay in power. He faces charges of rebellion and attempting a coup. Local news media report he could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted on all counts. During the hearing, Bolsonaro apologized to Justice Alexandre de Moraes and other members of the court for previously alleging election fraud, admitting he had no evidence. At one point, Bolsonaro even asked De Moraes if he would consider being his running mate in 2026 -- the justice replied, "I reject the offer." Bolsonaro admitted discussing with advisers and military leaders the possibility of finding a "legal mechanism" to overturn Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's election victory, but insisted, "There was never a possibility of a coup in my government." That statement, though defiant, could alienate parts of Bolsonaro's base who continue to defend the Jan. 8, 2023, rioters, said Bruno Pazos Barboz, a professor at the Social Observatory of Rio. On that day, thousands of radical Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in Brasília -- just one week after Lula took office -- vandalizing property and stealing documents and official government symbols. "This trial, which has drawn both national and international attention, is not only about individual accountability," Pazos said. "It's also a test of the strength of Brazil's democratic institutions. That's why what's happening -- and how it ends -- is so important." Bolsonaro is already barred from holding public office until 2030 by the Superior Electoral Court, due to his baseless attacks on the country's electronic voting system. A conviction in the current case could result in prison time and further extend that ban, effectively ending his short-term presidential ambitions. Despite the charges, some of his supporters and political analysts have not ruled out his return. A Genial/Quaest poll conducted between May and June 2025 found that 65% of Brazilians believe Bolsonaro should drop out of the 2026 presidential race and allow another right-wing candidate to take his place, The Rio Times reported -- signaling broad rejection beyond his core base of supporters. Still, "Bolsonarismo" remains active, said Pazos Barboz. The movement holds significant influence in Congress and maintains a loyal base that continues to mobilize periodically. Its rhetoric often centers on themes of "victimization" and claims of "political persecution." Two additional factors continue to sustain Bolsonarismo. One is the growth of Brazil's Protestant evangelical population, a demographic traditionally aligned with Bolsonaro and estimated at about 50 million people. The other is the lack of a unifying leader capable of bringing together the country's right-wing parties -- a gap that could reshape the 2026 electoral landscape. If convicted, Bolsonaro could appeal to the same court and possibly to the full bench. The entire legal process -- including trial and appeals -- could extend into late 2025 or early 2026.
