For those who have been reading this blog for years, you will remember that I have written repeatedly about Jair Bolsonaro.
4 years ago the ex army captain rose to be president. He is an odd president, openly siding with the descendants of Europeans against all of the other different groups. Not surprisingly, while some people are very happy, many more are cross.
The last 4 years have been full of astounding moves, but even his own supporters have tired with his incompetence. When the COVID outbreak was starting, he dismissed it as the little flu, and suggested that it was nothing to do with him. As a result, Brazil sits third in the world in terms of COVID cases (34.4 million cases), and second in deaths (684 thousand) – more than 100,000 extra deaths than India which has suffered more cases.
Deforestation has greatly increased under his leadership, and there has also been a great deal of increase in the bad effects on weather.
All this is terrible for someone who has to face re-election in October this year. Currently he is trailing in the polls to Luiz Inacio Lulu da Silva, who is an ex president. Lula was sentenced in July 2017, on charges of money laundering and corruption in a controversial trial, and sentenced to nine and a half years in prison. The judge who sentenced him, then became minister for justice and public security in Jair Bolsonaro government.
It is unfortunate, but this fight could make a big difference to the rest of the world.
If we wish to hear that Brazil will be more environmentally responsible we should all be interested in seeing the end of Bolsonaro, whether we will is another question.
