The Evolution of Populism in South America: Was J. Bolsonaro’s Victory in the 2018 Brazilian Presidential Election a Precedent or a Model for the Region?

Abstract

The article analyzes the election campaign, public discourse, and policies of J. Bolsonaro as the President of Brazil. The new President represents the model of an irreconcilable right-wing populist who focuses on US foreign policy. Bolsonaro’s rise to power came amid the crisis of left-wing populism in Brazil. The article raises the question: whether Bolsonaro’s victory is a remarkable case or a new effective model of public policy and political leadership for Brazil and other countries in the region? The author concludes that it depends largely on J. Bolsonaro’s success as the President. At the moment, the interim results of his presidency are highly controversial and continue to divide and polarize Brazilian society.

Islamic Populism and Village Chief Elections in Java

“…This study departs from the question of why, even as identity politics and Islamic populism are increasingly exploited in Indonesia's municipal, provincial, and national elections, religious minority candidates were elected in two of the ten villages studied. This is an important question as, in the past decade, populism has become increasingly common in elections around the world (Bernhard & Kriesi, 2019;Ivanov, 2020). This has included Islamic populism (Hadiz, 2016;Kirdiş & Drhimeur, 2016), which this article defines generally as a multi-class political expression that positions the shared interests of the Muslim ummah vis-à-vis the interests of elites and non-Muslims.…”

The Strategy of Chaos: Brazilian Foreign Policy under Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022)

“…He received 55 per cent of valid votes in a second-round run-off election for the Brazilian presidency, which shook the political establishment and signalled that voters were outraged with the corruption associated with the old-style political bargaining and horse-trading with political parties. Bolsonaro focused on issue-based interests of distinct sectors of Brazilian societydubbed the "Bible-Bullet-Beef" caucus, formed by the evangelical, the armament, and the rural factionsand intended to implement more market-friendly economic policies that could support business and stimulate hopes for economic recovery (Caballero & Crescentino, 2020;Doctor, 2019;Ivanov, 2020).…”

“…When Trump left power in the United States, Brazil faced strong criticism from Joe supporters, portray opponents as enemies, and stimulate cohesion around the conservative values they defend. These political battles mobilize an electorate that saw few concrete advances regarding the rampant unemployment and the stagnant economy and try to disguise Bolsonaro's administrative incapacity, improvisation, and lack of planning beyond his crusade against the left, communism, and the demolition of the Christian principles (Caballero & Crescentino, 2020;Chagas-Bastos, 2019;Coutinho & Hinz, 2020;Ivanov, 2020;Weiffen, 2022).…”