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| Brazil election: Jair Bolsonaro makes Trumpian pledge as poll shows big lead | Brazil election: Jair Bolsonaro makes Trumpian pledge as poll shows big lead |
| (2 months later) | |
| The far-right frontrunner to become the next president of Latin America’s largest democracy has vowed to make Brazil great again, as election-eve polls gave him a commanding lead in what many view as the most important election in its history. | The far-right frontrunner to become the next president of Latin America’s largest democracy has vowed to make Brazil great again, as election-eve polls gave him a commanding lead in what many view as the most important election in its history. |
| “Let’s make Brazil Great! Let’s be proud of our homeland once again!” Jair Bolsonaro, a 63-year-old former paratrooper notorious for his hostility to black and gay people, the environment and the left, proclaimed in a Trumpian live broadcast to his seven million Facebook followers on Saturday night. | “Let’s make Brazil Great! Let’s be proud of our homeland once again!” Jair Bolsonaro, a 63-year-old former paratrooper notorious for his hostility to black and gay people, the environment and the left, proclaimed in a Trumpian live broadcast to his seven million Facebook followers on Saturday night. |
| “Together we are going to change Brazil!” | “Together we are going to change Brazil!” |
| How a homophobic, misogynist, racist ‘thing’ could be Brazil’s next president | Eliane Brum | |
| With just hours to go until 147 million Brazilians choose their next leader on Sunday, polls gave Bolsonaro a 15-point lead over his closest rival, the Workers’ party (PT) candidate Fernando Haddad, with about 40% of intended votes. | With just hours to go until 147 million Brazilians choose their next leader on Sunday, polls gave Bolsonaro a 15-point lead over his closest rival, the Workers’ party (PT) candidate Fernando Haddad, with about 40% of intended votes. |
| That would not be enough to avoid a second-round showdown with the leftist on 28 October, since an outright majority is required for a win. “It is unlikely that this election will be decided in the first-round,” said Glauco Peres, a political scientist from the University of São Paulo. | That would not be enough to avoid a second-round showdown with the leftist on 28 October, since an outright majority is required for a win. “It is unlikely that this election will be decided in the first-round,” said Glauco Peres, a political scientist from the University of São Paulo. |
| However, Bolsonaro’s ascendancy in the polls and the palpably erratic mood in Brazil is such that a first-round win is no longer considered an impossibility. “Everything here has been so unpredictable that I don’t know if I’ll put my neck on the line for anything anymore,” Peres said. | However, Bolsonaro’s ascendancy in the polls and the palpably erratic mood in Brazil is such that a first-round win is no longer considered an impossibility. “Everything here has been so unpredictable that I don’t know if I’ll put my neck on the line for anything anymore,” Peres said. |
| The prospect of a Bolsonaro presidency has horrified Brazilian minorities and progressives, with celebrities including Madonna, Cher and Stephen Fry also condemning the rise of a politician with a long and ignominious track-record of hate speech. | The prospect of a Bolsonaro presidency has horrified Brazilian minorities and progressives, with celebrities including Madonna, Cher and Stephen Fry also condemning the rise of a politician with a long and ignominious track-record of hate speech. |
| “If I see two men kissing each other in the street, I’ll whack them,” Bolsonaro told an interviewer in 2002. Nine years later he declared: “I’d rather my son died in an accident than showed up with some bloke with a moustache.” | “If I see two men kissing each other in the street, I’ll whack them,” Bolsonaro told an interviewer in 2002. Nine years later he declared: “I’d rather my son died in an accident than showed up with some bloke with a moustache.” |
| 'Enraged, disillusioned, desperate': how will Brazilians vote in 2018? | |
| The Margaret Thatcher-quoting, Donald Trump-admiring populist is also notorious for his regard for repression. “I am in favor of a dictatorship … We will never resolve serious national problems with this irresponsible democracy,” the presidential pacesetter, whose campaign team is packed with retired generals, once said. | The Margaret Thatcher-quoting, Donald Trump-admiring populist is also notorious for his regard for repression. “I am in favor of a dictatorship … We will never resolve serious national problems with this irresponsible democracy,” the presidential pacesetter, whose campaign team is packed with retired generals, once said. |
| On the eve of Sunday’s election, Bolsonaro’s rivals made last minute pleas for voters to reconsider. | On the eve of Sunday’s election, Bolsonaro’s rivals made last minute pleas for voters to reconsider. |
| “My country is walking towards a precipice,” warned Ciro Gomes, the Democratic Labour party candidate, who is in third place with about 15% of intended votes. | “My country is walking towards a precipice,” warned Ciro Gomes, the Democratic Labour party candidate, who is in third place with about 15% of intended votes. |
| “Brazil is on the verge of an irreversible rupture,” warned Marina Silva, the fifth-placed Sustainability Network party candidate. | “Brazil is on the verge of an irreversible rupture,” warned Marina Silva, the fifth-placed Sustainability Network party candidate. |
| A PT campaign video likened Bolsonaro to Adolf Hitler and urged voters: “Not him!” | A PT campaign video likened Bolsonaro to Adolf Hitler and urged voters: “Not him!” |
| Bolsonaro followers, however, believe Brazil is on the verge of a historic shift under a corruption-busting, communist-combating conservative who can lead their country out of moral decay and its worst even recession. | Bolsonaro followers, however, believe Brazil is on the verge of a historic shift under a corruption-busting, communist-combating conservative who can lead their country out of moral decay and its worst even recession. |
| “Bolsonaro is Brazil’s only option right now if it wants to avoid becoming a Venezuela,” said Paulo Henrique Villa Boas, a 46-year-old supporter from the north-eastern city of Recife. “Bolsonaro fights communists. They want to implement this ideology – which has killed millions of people in other countries – here in Brazil.” | “Bolsonaro is Brazil’s only option right now if it wants to avoid becoming a Venezuela,” said Paulo Henrique Villa Boas, a 46-year-old supporter from the north-eastern city of Recife. “Bolsonaro fights communists. They want to implement this ideology – which has killed millions of people in other countries – here in Brazil.” |
| Max Cavalcanti, another local follower, called Bolsonaro a patriot cut from the same cloth as Nigel Farage, Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini. | Max Cavalcanti, another local follower, called Bolsonaro a patriot cut from the same cloth as Nigel Farage, Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini. |
| “They are all defenders of their territory, their fatherland. They are sovereignists,” said Cavalcanti, 34, adding: “It’s Bolsonaro against everyone – against the system.” | “They are all defenders of their territory, their fatherland. They are sovereignists,” said Cavalcanti, 34, adding: “It’s Bolsonaro against everyone – against the system.” |
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