Brazil- Understanding the Political Scenario

Brazil – An Overview of past political leaders

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva serving 12 year Jail term No

In recent years Brazil has seen political turmoil beginning from a very popular leader- Lula da Silva to Michel Temer. These were established leaders who faced huge charges. For example, due to the anti-graft developments, it removed established leaders from the fray, including the most popular leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the former President from the left-wing Workers’ Party (PT) now serving a 12-year jail sentence. His bid to run for a third term was quashed by the electoral court, following the dismissal of an appeal against his 2017 conviction.

Under his successor Dilma Rousseff, Brazil plunged into its worst recession in a century. She was impeached, but more on technical grounds linked to fiscal mismanagement than any egregious violations. 

The outgoing President, Michel Temer, also came under the prosecution’s scanner but he survived. The overall atmosphere in the run-up to the elections has thus got murkier. 

Therefore due to the result Brazil has received under these established leaders, the population now wants anti-establishment leaders. An anti-establishment view or belief is one which stands in opposition to the conventional social, political, and economic principles of a society.

The Political Campaign

The campaign for Sunday’s elections in Brazil is beset by an anti-establishment mood, as in several democracies. Legislators at the state and national levels are being elected, but it is the contest for the President’s post that has really polarized the campaign.

The Reason- Operation Car Wash
The personalized nature of the contest owes to the lingering shadow of Operation Car Wash, a buzzword for the anti-corruption campaign that underpins the confrontation between the legislature and the judiciary. A major anti-corruption known as Lava Jato, or Car Wash, and other interlocking investigations have seen more than 150 Brazilian business leaders, corporations and politicians - including Lula - prosecuted for corruption since 2014.

At the centre of the investigations into the multi-billion dollar distribution of patronage to political and bureaucratic bigwigs is Petrobras, the state-owned oil firm.

Presidential Candidates and Social Images.

There are going to be several opinions, and there is a sharp competition between the far right candidate Jair Bolsonaro and far left  candidate PT’s Fernado.  Mr. Bolsonaro is far right candidate, and ex army captain, and he is popular as anti-establishment leader.  Mr. Bolsonaro was stabbed in a rally, and he has been hospitalized. The campaigns are done from hospital bed itself.  While supporters of jailed leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have turned towards Fernado Hadda.

So, there is a sharp clash between far right and far left candidates, and this polarizes the society of Brazil.   The firebrand politician’s homophobic and misogynistic views triggered protests over the weekend by thousands of women.

 Mr. Haddad’s prospects may have improved had the PT reconciled itself to the overturning of Mr. Lula’s appeal in January. The party’s best hope now is that the economist will convert the former President’s popularity into votes for himself.

 There is concern among investors that the election of a populist may impede long overdue reforms to break the dominance of sectional interests in Brazil’s economic policies. Such intervention is seen as crucial to restore investor confidence, stimulate infrastructure growth and reverse Brazil’s recession. 

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