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Live Updates: Brazil Election Protesters Storm Government Offices


Brazilians went to the polls in October to elect a new president in a bitter contest between two candidates offering radically different visions of the future of Latin America’s largest democracy.

The vote comes after a long and bad campaign between the right-wing incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro, against the two-term former president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Mr. Bolsonaro has rallied supporters around what he calls a leftist attack on family values ​​and individual liberties. He considers academics, the media, and even democratic institutions, including the National Assembly and Brazil’s Supreme Court, to be enemies.

Mr. Lula, who ultimately won the election, has vowed to rule for all Brazilians, while returning the country to a more prosperous past, despite his history of corruption scandals. he divided voters.

Much of the campaign, marked by disinformation and vicious online attacks, has turned into a mess with little discussion of the challenges the country’s next leader will face. must face to face.

What is the problem?

The election comes at a critical time for Brazil, where soaring food and fuel prices, coupled with a severe economic downturn, have caused poverty to rise, reversing economic and social progress association for many decades.

Environmental and climate concerns also come to the fore. Deforestation in the Amazon hit a 15-year high under Bolsonaro, who has undermined environmental protections and argued that the rainforest should be open to logging, ranching and agriculture. The devastation of the Amazon – and its effects on efforts to avert the climate crisis – has turned Brazil into a global outcast.

There are also concerns about the health of Brazilian democracy. Mr. Bolsonaro sowing doubts about integrity of the electoral system, claiming without proof that the country’s electronic voting machines could be rigged. His efforts to fuel worries at home and abroad that Mr Bolsonaro could be ousted from power will prompt him to rally millions of supporters into the streets and demand that he stay in power.

What did Mr. Lula suggest?

Mr. Lula saw an era of growth during his two terms, as a commodity boom turned Brazil into a global success story. He promised to bring the country back to those glory days.

The left-wing candidate vowed to raise taxes on the rich and boost public spending, “putting the people in the budget”. His plans includes a range of social programs, such as $113 monthly cash vouchers, on par with those proposed by Mr. Bolsonaro. Poor families with children will also receive an additional $28 per month for each child under the age of 6.

Lula also promised to adjust Brazil’s minimum wage in line with inflation and restore housing plans for the poor, while ensuring food security for those facing hunger.

A former union member, Mr. Lula planned to kickstart growth and “create job opportunities and jobs” by spending on infrastructure. But he also plans to invest in a “green economy,” warning that Brazil must move to more sustainable food and energy systems.

On the Amazon, Mr. Lula has signaled that he will crack down on environmental crimes committed by militias, squatters, loggers and others.

What did Mr. Bolsonaro suggest?

Bolsonaro promised to hand out cash payments of about $113 a month to needy families, expanding on a temporary policy originally created to ease the impact of the pandemic. The plan is designed to “reduce poverty and contribute to sustainable economic growth,” Bolsonaro said. official policy plan.

Before the election, Mr. Bolsonaro spent heavily on welfare and fuel subsidies.

He is also committed to creating jobs by eliminating red tape, cutting taxes and investing in technology. In another nod to business leaders who gave him important support in his first run for president, Mr Bolsonaro said he would maintain a free and controlled market approach. public debt.

Recalling the rhetoric that helped him win support from radical and Protestant voters four years ago, Bolsonaro also promised to defend the “family”, oppose legal abortion and education. transgender in school.

Bolsonaro also promised to expand tough policies on crime, pledging to further expand access to firearms, a policy he says has helped reduce violent crime across Brazil.

How did Mr Bolsonaro sow doubt about the legitimacy of the election?

Brazilians vote on electronic voting machines, a system that has existed for more than two decades and that has been central to Bolsonaro’s statements about the risk of election fraud.

Mr. Bolsonaro framed the hack of the Brazilian election agency in 2018 as proof of fraudalthough an investigation found that hackers were unable to alter vote totals or access voting machines.

Mr Bolsonaro also pointed to Mr. Lula’s past corruption allegations, which were dropped, as proof that he was a thief planning to steal votes.

The flawed polls also raise questions about the reliability of polling firms and lend credence to Mr Bolsonaro’s claims that surveys do not accurately reflect the extent his famous. In the first round of voting, Mr Lula won 48% of the vote, while Mr Bolsonaro received 43%, significantly outperforming pre-election polls.

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