Outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro left a trail of controversies during his term as he faces former Brazilian president Lula at the second round of elections.
The future of South America and, to a certain extent, the entire World depends on the result of Brazil’s general elections. Yesterday, the first round saw a tight majority of the leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, otherwise known as Lula, against the current Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro’s result was the most surprising, sitting at a comfortable 43.2%, but Lula got the majority with 48.4% of the ballots. Lula arrived 2% short of the out-right victory of the elections; but since nobody got the absolute majority the two prominent leaders will face head-to-head in a second round.
Bolsonaro had won the previous elections in the second round, defeating Fernando Haddad with 55% of the votes. This victory began what is probably the most controversial Brazilian presidency to date, but Bolsonaro still retains a very strong base. Despite getting second in this round, another victory for him could very well be in reach.
After all, Lula is a very controversial figure in his own right. He is a former Brazilian President, running the country from 2003 to 2011 and lifting millions of citizens from poverty while at the same time trying to safeguard the Amazon rainforest.
Lula, however, could not run in 2018, when Bolsonaro won, because he had been arrested in a massive corruption scandal. Lula remained 19 months in prison, and many Brazilians understandably have lost faith in him.
On the other hand, Bolsonaro too gradually lost popularity in Brazil, and for very good reasons.
Bolsonaro’s controversial term
Jair Bolsonaro is a conservative leader that took inspiration for his political decisions from former US President Donald Trump. Indeed, many similarities could be drawn between the two presidents’ handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Both dismissed the danger of the virus even as thousands were dying in their countries, and both undermined the importance of the vaccine.
Bolsonaro’s term also saw the worst deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in 15 years, with thousands of hectares burned down every day. Furthermore, Brazil’s communities that live far within the forest suffered countless abuses as Bolsonaro often looked the other way and allowed them to happen.
Furthermore, Bolsonaro confirmed many times that he will not recognize the results of the election if he loses, drawing comparisons with the assault at the Washington Capitol after Biden’s victory. Such threats are much more dangerous of those made by Trump, as Bolsonaro keeps very close ties with the military and the country managed to get rid of a military dictatorship as early as 1985.
No matter what will happen with Brazil itself, these elections are crucial for everyone in the World, as further destruction of the Amazon rainforest could spinball the planet into climate disaster faster and faster.
