Paris Soir - Brazil vote: big night for far-right

NYSE - LSE

JRI	-0.32%	12.44	$
CMSD	-0.47%	21.16	$
RBGPF	1.9%	69.89	$
BCC	-1.38%	79.94	$
RYCEF	1.65%	21.15	$
CMSC	-0.31%	21.275	$
RIO	-2.02%	104.7	$
NGG	-0.79%	80.53	$
RELX	-1.53%	35.34	$
BCE	-0.43%	23.49	$
BP	-0.85%	42.5	$
GSK	-1.24%	51.43	$
VOD	-1.19%	15.94	$
AZN	-2.04%	166.27	$
BTI	1.69%	57.44	$

Brazil vote: big night for far-right

POLITICS 03.10.2022

President Jair Bolsonaro was not the only one to have a surprisingly strong night in Brazil's elections Sunday: the far-right incumbent's allies also beat expectations in congressional and governor's races.

Text size:

Political analysts say that means hardline conservatives will be powerful players in the Latin American giant's new political landscape, weakening leftist front-runner Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his Workers' Party (PT), even if he beats Bolsonaro in the October 30 presidential runoff.

Here is a look at some of the big wins for "Bolsonarismo":

- Congress -

Bolsonaro's Liberal Party (PL) is on track to be the largest party in the lower house of Congress, according to analysts.

Its newly elected congressmen include some of Bolsonaro's most controversial allies:

- Ex-environment minister Ricardo Salles won a seat for Sao Paulo. He presided over a surge in destruction in the Amazon rainforest and was forced to resign last year after coming under investigation for involvement in a timber trafficking scheme.

- Ex-health minister Eduardo Pazuello won a seat for Rio de Janeiro. The army general oversaw Brazil's response to Covid-19 during the worst phase of the pandemic, when hundreds of thousands of people died and severe oxygen shortages brought the health system in the northern city of Manaus to the brink of collapse.

- PL candidate Nikolas Ferreira, a 26-year-old social media personality, was the most-voted congressman-elect in the country, winning 1.4 million votes.

- Senate -

The PL and its allies won at least 15 of the 27 seats up for grabs in the 81-member Senate.

Bolsonaro allies elected include:

- Former football star Romario, a Senate member since 2015.

- Ex-science minister Marcos Ponte, Brazil's first and only astronaut, who defied opinion polls to beat Lula ally Marcio Franca in Sao Paulo.

- Ex-women's minister Damares Alves.

- Ex-agriculture minister Tereza Cristina.

- Ex-development minister Rogerio Marino.

- Vice President Hamilton Mourao, an army reserve general.

- Governors -

Far-right incumbent Claudio Castro (PL) easily won re-election as Rio de Janeiro state governor.

In Sao Paulo, Brazil's most populous and wealthiest state, PL candidate Tarcisio Freitas, Bolsonaro's former infrastructure minister and a top ally, shattered forecasts to win the first-round vote and force a runoff with Lula protege Fernando Haddad.

- Frenemies -

Adding to the bleak picture for Lula's camp, the lead judge and prosecutor who sent him to jail on controversial corruption charges -- since overturned -- both won seats in the Senate.

Ex-judge Sergio Moro and ex-prosecutor Delton Dallagnol are not exactly Bolsonaro allies -- especially Moro, who quit his post as the far-right president's justice minister in 2020, accusing Bolsonaro of interfering in police investigations.

But they are certainly no friends of Lula, whom their mega-graft-busting probe, "Operation Car Wash," sent to prison for 18 months.

J.Simon--PS

Featured

Brazil sues Discord for $100 mn in child safety case

The Brazilian government on Wednesday said it was suing the Discord messaging platform for nearly $100 million in damages over its alleged failure to protect children from harmful content and demanded it adopt stronger safeguards.

US general visits Colombia to discuss war on drugs

The head of US Southern Command visited Colombia on Wednesday to discuss joint operations against narco-traffickers with the administration of new right-wing President Abelardo de la Espriella, an ally of President Donald Trump.

Alberta NDP Urges Smith to Postpone Separation Vote Amid Trade War

Alberta’s opposition leader is urging Premier Danielle Smith to cancel or postpone a provincial referendum on separation from Canada, arguing that holding the vote during an active trade war with the United States undermines national unity. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi criticized the timing as political pandering, while Smith’s office defended the Oct. 19 date as a response to citizen petitions.

US designates UK-based Palestine Action as foreign 'terrorist group'

The United States on Wednesday named the UK-based Palestine Action group, which has been banned by the British government, as a "specially designated global terrorist" organization.