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Bolsonarism
Brazilian political ideology named after Jair Bolsonaro
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bolsonarism (Portuguese: bolsonarismo) is an ideology or the political movement tied to Jair Bolsonaro. His views, policies, and supporters are variously described as neo-fascist or far-right populism by scholars and news outlets,[8][9] although Bolsonaro denied that he is a fascist,[10] and some analysts disagree with such labelling.[11] Bolsonarism broke out in Brazil with the rise in popularity of Bolsonaro, especially during his campaign in the presidential election in 2018, which elected him as president. The Workers' Party (PT) crisis during the Dilma Rousseff government, precipitated and accelerated by the political-economic crisis of 2014, strengthened Bolsonarist ideology and the Brazilian new right, which are part of the context of the rise of New Right populism at an international level.[12][13][page needed]
Historical
Alliance for Brazil
Social Liberal Party
Bolsonarism Bolsonarismo | |
|---|---|
From left to right, top to bottom:
| |
| Leader | Jair Bolsonaro |
| Founder | Jair Bolsonaro Olavo de Carvalho |
| Founded | 3 March 2016 |
| Membership | Liberal Party Historical Alliance for Brazil Social Liberal Party |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-right[6][7] |
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In politics, figures from Bolsonarism, such as Bolsonaro's son Eduardo Bolsonaro, have sought to attract punishments and international sanctions for Brazil in order to free Bolsonaro from being legally judged according to Brazilian laws, which has triggered a US tariff on the country.[14] Likewise, pro-Bolsonaro deputies, with the support of parties such as União Brasil, PP, and Novo, tried to block, intimidate, destabilize,[15][16] and impede the functioning of the legal entities of the legislature (Senate and Congress) as a form of blackmail for their objectives, such as making it difficult to vote on government projects that benefit workers (such as the exemption from income tax) and trying to free Jair Bolsonaro and those involved in the coup attempt and extremists from the January 8 attacks. Bolsonaro supporters have also repeatedly threatened to kill Brazilian authorities and politicians.[17]
Ideology
Bolsonarism was the predominant ideology of the Bolsonaro government and, according to its critics, is associated with rhetoric defending the family, patriotism, conservatism, anti-communism, scientific denialism, carrying weapons, and aversion to the political left, as well as the cult of the figure of Bolsonaro, often called a "myth".[7][18][19] Writer Olavo de Carvalho is often cited as having been the "guru" of the Bolsonarist ideology.[20][21]
Although Bolsonaro defined his government as "free from ideological constraints",[22] and did not recognize Bolsonarism as an ideology, his supporters – pejoratively called "Bolsominions" – diverge between those who agree with Bolsonaro[23] and those who use the term to express their political position.[24]
Bolsonaro through his political career has opposed human rights and minority rights in Brazil,[25][26] and under his presidency human and minority rights were increasingly targeted by government policies.[27][28][29]
While being against "globalism",[30][31] Bolsonaro sought to work with various other neo-fascist, far-right, and authoritarian political parties, groups, and strategists to combat left wing politics across central and south America.[32] Efforts towards this goal included helping to set up the Madrid Forum.[33]
Anti-Workers' Party and anti-communism
Being against and hostility towards the Workers' Party constituted a large part of rhetoric from Bolsonaro and among his supporters.[34][35] Bolsonaro combined this anti-Workers' Party rhetoric with anti-communist sentiment, using the Workers' Party membership in the São Paulo Forum as a line of attack, with him describing the São Paulo Forum as "a political group with a left-wing communist ideology, led by Lula and Fidel Castro".[36]
Bolsonaro adopted the motto of "our flag will never be red" during his campaign for the Brazilian presidency, which had been used by his supporters since 2015.[37][38] During Bolsonaro's inauguration he said to the crowd of people that Brazil had begun to "liberate itself from socialism".[39] During his presidency he sought to dismantle organisations that he referred to as "dens of leftism", such as the public health research foundation Oswaldo Cruz Foundation.[40] Bolsonarists would also label any criticism of Bolsonaro as coming from such "dens".[41] Vocal supporters of Bolsonaro from his political party, such as Coronel Fernanda, have since Bolsonaro's election introduced bills seeking to criminalise support for communism in Brazil.[42]
Attacks
Some of his supporters, in the name of Bolsonaro or based on his right-wing ideas, have carried out several riots and terrorist attacks such as 2023 Brazilian Congress attack against the election of the left-wing candidate for the presidency, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.[43]