Brazil's President Called COVID-19 'A Little Flu.' Now His Supporters Are Rebelling
Brazil's President Called COVID-19 'A Little Flu.' Now His Supporters Are Rebelling
“[Populist leaders] all have a general anti-establishment streak...That can be really dangerous during a global pandemic,” said AS/COA's Brian Winter about Jair Bolsonaro to the Los Angeles Times.
Supporters of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro stood by him as he insulted women and racial minorities, praised the country’s former military dictatorship and defended the use of torture.
But more and more are drawing a line at his stance on the coronavirus...
Brian Winter, vice president for policy at the Council of the Americas think tank, said that Bolsonaro has been following the patterns of populist leaders.
“They all have a general anti-establishment streak that says that if the media is saying one thing, the truth must be the opposite,” he said. “That can be really dangerous during a global pandemic.”
He said it is too soon to know the long-term impact of COVID-19 on Bolsonaro’s bid for reelection in 2022 or the future of populism around the world.
“Depending on how things go it may enable a new generation of autocrats who promise greater security and therefore health by encouraging people to sacrifice their freedoms,” he said. “Or this may help prove to a new generation why good leadership is important and why having good leaders who embrace democracy and science is a path to success.”
