Two Peas in a Pod: Tensions Rise in Brazil Post-Bolsonaro

Earlier this year, enraged yet disenfranchised Brazilian citizens stormed the Capitol, demanding the reinstatement of Former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. They claimed that the democratic election of his successor, President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, was rigged; which sounds awfully similar, almost like a play taken right from Former President Donald Trump’s playbook on how to undermine democracy. This riot is emblematic of a famous quote from 33rd President Harry Truman: “A threat to democracy anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere.”   

This riot was inspired by the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan 6, 2021. And interestingly, almost coincidentally, it took place on Jan 8, 2023. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of democracy and — more specifically — how misguided politicians are finding new ways to attack democracy in unison. Even Vladimir Putin, far removed from both of these conflicts, claimed that the charges being filed against Trump represent a “political witch-hunt.” What we are witnessing is unprecedented and scary.   

Right-wing leaders from around the world are allying themselves and their supporters through a common yet deeply unsettling rhetoric. They are fueling a rebellion against democracy by spreading false allegations and breeding mistrust. While no democracy is perfect, and arguments can be made that American democracy is far from it, they aren’t addressing the true nature of our democratic failures, like the continual repression of marginalized groups through economic means. Rather, they appeal to white majorities, subtly spreading racist rhetoric and blaming immigrants and people who rely on social welfare for society’s problems. Evidence will show that these accusations are unfounded, but common sense should show that they are just plain cruel.   

In Brazil, Bolsonaro’s supporters are taking up arms and parading through the streets, preparing for a civil war. All they needed to justify an armed conflict, claimed one Brazilian citizen, was the greenlight from Bolsonaro himself. In the United States, we are lucky that circumstances are not as severe. But the people of Eastern Europe are not so lucky. Ukrainian citizens have endured war for well over a year, and Putin shows no signs of relenting. European citizens shouldn’t be the only ones fearing Putin’s next move. An attack on another European nation would not just be an attack on European democracy but democracy everywhere. As a nation that prides itself on democratic values (flawed or not), the United States has a major responsibility to defend those values because “a threat to democracy anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere.”   

While the average American may feel powerless, we shouldn’t. The best thing about democracies is that they are beholden to their people. Our greatest power is our voice, our character and our vote. With major elections coming up in just over a year, we must vote for candidates who not only protect democracy but improve it. We must vote for candidates who fight for equity, justice and civil liberties. Candidates who are willing to disagree with people, lose votes and stand up for what they know in their hearts is right.  In America, we haven’t seen a presidential candidate like that in a long time, maybe ever. Even President Barack Obama, who was the first president to visit a federal penitentiary and committed himself to improving democracy, was constrained by Congress and unable to initiate the changes that many wanted to see from his administration. This is because the president cannot act alone: they need the help of Congress and support from their constituents in the fight for justice. Next fall, we cannot only focus on the presidential election, but we must also devote time and energy to learning about congressional candidates, for they, too, hold a lot of power.   

The future of democracy lies in our hands, in the pens that we hold as we fill in bubbles on the next ballot.