On Oct. 7, the Brazilian people went to the polls to vote in the first round of federal elections, with the end result being a runoff between the top two vote-getters, Fernando Haddad of the Workers’ Party (PT) and Jair Bolsonaro of the Social Liberal Party (PSL). Neither candidate is particularly inspiring; Haddad’s party has been involved in countless corruption scandals as the governing party over the past fourteen years, while Bolsonaro has openly expressed his disdain of minorities and support for the reinstatement of a military dictatorship, among other revolting beliefs.
While we do not support Haddad nor condone the blatantly corrupt actions of his party, a vote for Haddad is a vote for democracy. We are not blind to his short-comings. It is unlikely he will be able to revitalize the economy; in fact, past Workers’ Party politicians have severely damaged the economy, the judiciary, and politics as a whole. Despite all of this, a vote for Haddad is necessary to prevent Brazil from sliding into right-wing authoritarianism, as seen in many other countries around the globe. A vote for Bolsonaro is a vote for a fascist candidate who publicly supported a military takeover of the government and praised the previous military dictatorship.
One of the most overt displays of Bolsonaro’s extremist views and one of the defining characteristics of his campaign is his hateful rhetoric. He does not shy away from expressing his homophobic, racist, and misogynistic views. His honesty and bluntness are not inherently problematic, but his opinions threaten the fundamental rights of millions of Brazilians. In response to a former president of Brazil posting a picture with the LGBTQ+ flag, he stated, “I will not fight them or discriminate against them, but if I see two men kissing on the street, I will beat them.”
This is only one of many hateful comments he has made in public. When talking to a female politician in the Chamber of Deputies in Brasilia, he said, “She is too ugly […] I am not a rapist, but, if I were, I would not rape her because she does not deserve it.” Further, during a TV interview, he said “I don’t run that risk [of one of my sons marrying a black woman] because my sons were raised right and they did not come from environments like, unfortunately, yours.” These statements trivialize the state of LGBTQ+ rights, sexual assault, and racism in Brazil. While Bolsonaro has been publicly chastised for these statements, his views remain unaltered.
Despite the vile rhetoric, Bolsonaro won over 46 percent of the first round voting against twelve other candidates. In light of rising crime and unemployment rates, Brazilians are looking to a no-nonsense candidate like Bolsonaro for immediate solutions. Many believe that having PT, a party that is now synonymous with corruption, in power will only succeed in further destroying the country.
Bolsonaro, however, has confessed that he does not have extensive knowledge of economic matters. Instead, he relies on economist Paulo Guedes to advise him. Guedes’ policies mainly promote public spending cuts, privatizing all state-owned companies, and enforcing a taxation scheme in which the richest and the poorest would pay about the same level of taxes. His policies favor economic development over any socio-environmental development, which is not always a good thing.
Bolsonaro has expressed little interest in environmental policy, stating that he would be withdrawing from the Paris Agreement if elected. There is no mention of protection for vulnerable groups, such as the indigenous population or the LGBTQ+ communities.
On the other hand, Haddad’s economic policies are against company privatization and are for the reinforcement of workers’ rights. He intends to establish a social program that would exempt families that work five minimum wage jobs from paying income taxes with the idea that it would allow them to consume again while increasing tax rates for the richest Brazilians. Haddad believes in increasing general public spending and investment in companies to promote economic activity. Both parties’ economic
strategies have flaws that may prevent them from being sustainable in the long run. One party overemphasizes economic development, and the other may fail due to the costs of social programs and worker benefits.
Brazil is a young democracy — its last dictatorship ended barely 50 years ago — and it does not have the best track record when it comes to politics. Many people long for change and see Bolsonaro as a radical departure from the status quo. However, those people are unlikely to see Bolsonaro’s policies and rhetoric as personally dangerous. If you are fortunate enough to not feel threatened, targeted, or attacked by Bolsonaro’s possible victory, then you should check your privilege. Brazil is facing a wave of violence and prejudice against minority groups, as Bolsonaro’s supporters have been encouraged by his words and actions. While Bolsonaro has not personally perpetrated this violence, it is clear he is their motivation and guide.
Brazilians are right to be hesitant about voting for the Workers’ Party, but during the fourteen years that they were in power, the country’s democracy was never been threatened. We believe that electing Haddad, and holding him and other politicians accountable for their actions, is the far superior option to electing Bolsonaro and gambling away the freedoms we all take for granted. Brazilians who hope for a better tomorrow must reject Bolsonaro at the polls on Oct. 28.
