Brazil Elects Far-Right Populist Jair Bolsonaro

Brazil has elected a far-right populist to be its next leader.

Jair Bolsonaro defeated Fernando Haddad of the Workers’ Party, a leftist, handily in the final round of the presidential elections.

89% of the real results are in (not exit polls) –

55.7% Bolsonaro
44.3% Haddad

Jair Bolsonaro will almost certainly be the next President of Brazil. This is a sad day for fans of democracy and human rights all around the world.

— Vincent Bevins (@Vinncent) October 28, 2018

The New York Times noted that Bolsonaro tapped into a “deep well of resentment” to win the election.

The new president, Jair Bolsonaro, has exalted the country’s military dictatorship, advocated torture and threatened to destroy, jail or drive into exile his political opponents.

He won by tapping into a deep well of resentment at the status quo in Brazil — a country whiplashed by rising crime and two years of political and economic turmoil — and by presenting himself as the alternative.

The Times also noted that Bolsonaro’s election to lead Latin America’s biggest nation comes as Argentina, Chile, Peru, Paraguay and Colombia have all embraced leaders to the right.

Watch more about Bolsonaro’s campaign above, via the New York Times

[image via screengrab]

from Mediaite https://ift.tt/2OXCGVW