Bolsonaro wins Brazilian presidency
’Tropical Trump’ vows fundamental change in direction for country
RIO DE JANEIRO: Former army captain Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil, promising a fundamental change in direction for the giant Latin American country, the latest to take a turn to the farright.
Despite repulsing many with his open support of the torture used by Brazil’s former military regime, as well as remarks deemed misogynist, racist and homophobic, Bolsonaro managed to tap voters’ deep anger with corruption, crime and economic malaise.
Official results on Sunday gave the controversial president-elect 55.13% of the vote in the run-off election, to 44.87% for leftist opponent Fernando Haddad, with 99.99% of the ballots counted.
Bolsonaro, 63, will take office on Jan 1.
“We will change Brazil’s destiny together,” he said in his victory speech – broadcast live from his home on Facebook.
Sitting next to his wife and wearing a dark blazer, the longtime congressman delivered his speech in a stern voice.
He pledged to govern “following the Bible and the constitution,” and said: “We cannot continue flirting with socialism, communism, populism and the extremism of the left.”
But he promised to defend “the constitution, democracy and freedom,” fending off opponents’ warnings he would try to veer toward authoritarianism.
Thousands of supporters flooded the streets outside his home in Rio de Janeiro, waving Brazilian flags and lighting up the sky with fireworks.
“All these people here are outraged, upset about corruption and crime, and we are with Bolsonaro. The people have spoken.
“For the first time I feel represented,” said Andre Luiz Lobo, 38, a businessman who – not incidentally, given the accusations of racism against his candidate – is black.
The White House said US President Donald Trump had called Bolsonaro to congratulate him.
“Both expressed a strong commit- ment to work side-by-side to improve the lives of the people of the United States and Brazil, and as regional leaders, of the Americas,” White House spokesman Sarah Sanders said.
Dubbed the “Tropical Trump” by some, Bolsonaro publicly admires the American leader.
On the other side, the reaction was despair – and a defiant vow to resist.
Haddad, a former Sao Paulo mayor, said he would fight to “defend the freedoms of those 45 million people” who voted for him, after Bolsonaro vowed late in the campaign to “cleanse” Brazil of leftist “reds”.
Political analysts and activists reacted in grim tones.
“This is a dark day for Brazil. Brazilian democracy is now in complete crisis,” said Mark Weisbrot of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington.
The environmental group Amazon Watch warned victory for Bolsonaro – who has vowed not to let conservation programmes interfere with agro-industry – “spells disaster for the Brazilian Amazon”.