Bolsonaro promises big changes
New Brazil president vows to fulfil anti-graft and pro-gun agenda
BRASILIA: Jair Bolsonaro has been sworn in as Brazil’s president, taking the reins of Latin America’s largest and most populous nation with promises to overhaul myriad aspects of daily life and put an end to business-as-usual governing.
For the far-right former army captain, the New Year’s Day inauguration was the culmination of a journey from a marginalised and even ridiculed congressman to a leader who many Brazilians hope can combat endemic corruption and violence that routinely gives the nation the dubious distinction of being world leader in total homicides.
A fan of US President Donald Trump, the 63-year-old longtime congressman rose to power on an anti-corruption and pro-gun agenda that has energised conservatives and hard-right supporters after four consecutive presidential election wins by the left-leaning Workers’ Party.
Bolsonaro is the latest of several far-right leaders around the globe who have come to power by riding waves of anger at the establishment and vowing to ditch the status quo.
“Congratulations to President @jairbolsonaro who just made a great inauguration speech,” Trump tweeted. “The USA is with you!”
Tuesday’s festivities in the capital of Brasilia began with a motorcade procession along the main road leading to Congress.
Bolsonaro and his wife Michelle stood up in an open-top Rolls-Royce and waved to thousands of onlookers.
Once inside Congress, Bolsonaro and his vice-president, retired Gen Hamilton Mourao, took the oath of office. Bolsonaro then read a short speech that included many of the far-right positions he staked out during the campaign.
He promised to combat the “ideology of gender” teaching in schools, “respect our Judeo-Christian tradition” and “prepare children for the job market, not political militancy”.
“I call on all congressmen to help me rescue Brazil from corruption, criminality and ideological submission,” he said.
A short time later, he spoke to thousands of supporters outside, promising to “free Brazil” from socialism and political correctness.
As he spoke, supporters began to chant “Myth! Myth! Myth!”– a nickname that began years ago with Internet memes of Bolsonaro and became more common during last year’s campaign.
Bolsonaro’s middle name is Messias, or Messiah in English, and many supporters believe he was chosen by God to lead Brazil, an assertion bolstered after he survived a stabbing during a campaign rally in September.
During Tuesday’s speech, Bolsonaro stopped at one point, pulled out a Brazilian flag and wildly waved it, prompting roars from the crowd.
“Our flag will never be red,” he said, a reference to communism. “Our flag will only be red if blood is needed to keep it green and yellow.”
Brasilia was under tight security, with 3,000 police patrolling the event. Military tanks, fighter jets and even anti-aircraft missiles were deployed.
The increased security came at Bolsonaro’s request. His intestine was pierced when a knife-wielding man stabbed and nearly killed him, and today Bolsonaro wears a colostomy bag.
The most notable foreign leaders who attended were associated with far-right movements: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. — AP