Brazil: Thousands Rally Ahead of Elections
On Thurs., thousands of Brazilians marched across several cities in a symbolic "defense of democracy" amid concerns that Pres. Jair Bolsonaro would reject results in upcoming elections if defeated.
Facts
- On Thurs., thousands of Brazilians marched across several cities in a symbolic "defense of democracy" amid concerns that Pres. Jair Bolsonaro would reject results in upcoming elections if defeated.
- Demonstrators gathered outside the University of São Paulo's law school where manifestos signed by roughly 1M people, including artists, bankers, big businesses, ordinary people, and politicians, were read.
- This comes as Bolsonaro raises doubts about Brazil's electronic voting system and claims the country's top court justices are favoring his leftist rival, former Pres. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
- While the Superior Electoral Court insists that the voting system is fair and transparent, Bolsonaro has claimed that the lack of a paper trail enables fraud.
- Though the manifestos didn't mention Bolsonaro directly, Thursday's rallies - which defended the democratic rule of law and respect for elections - reportedly come as a response to his alleged "coup mentality."
- Presidential elections will be held on Oct. 2 and polls indicate that former Pres. Lula da Silva is likely to defeat Bolsonaro.
Sources: Reuters, Time, France24, Folha, and Al Jazeera.
Narratives
- Left narrative, as provided by The Guardian. Brazilian democracy is under threat as Pres. Bolsonaro will likely follow the example of his idol Donald Trump by rejecting the electoral results or pushing for an insurrection when confronted with defeat. The Brazilian people must show their strength and make sure he isn't re-elected.
- Right narrative, as provded by BreitBart. The real threat to Brazilian democracy isn't Pres. Bolsonaro, but the left and the institutions it has corrupted - It's no coincidence that the top court has overturned former Pres. Lula's previous convictions of corruption.
- Cynical narrative, as provided by Bloomberg. By questioning the integrity of Brazil's electoral system, Bolsonaro - although likely to rally his radical base - will alienate centrist, undecided voters. Continuing to spread conspiracy theories over the integrity of the voting system reveals his fear of losing his Presidency while also potentially cementing his upcoming loss to da Silva.
