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Will Brazil return to dictatorship?

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MX8G5ECdvA]

Jair Bolsonaro (since this video was made) won 46% of the first round vote in the Brazilian election and will almost certainly be elected President of the country. He has praised the previous Brazilian dictatorship, believes in paramilitary policing, is against all minorities and has a Chicago school economist as his chief advisor. The best person to compare him to is probably Chile's General Pinochet.

A toxic combination has created this situation. An elite fighting back against the fear of lost privilege, people disillusioned with mainstream institutions and bad economic times. Also, the soft coup against Dilma Rousseff destabilised things. Desperate people look to a strong man for salvation.

A lot of the press compares Bolsonaro to Trump, like this article:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/08/brazil-us-presidential-elections-bolsonaro

It's a bit much TBF. There are clear thematic links but Bolsonaro is worse than Trump. Also, Brazil is a new democracy and lacks the strong institutions to resist someone wanting to be a dictator. Worrying times.
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CountScrofula · 41-45, M
Yes, and I think this will hold true in new democracies such as in eastern Europe. I'd love to be wrong but authoritarianism is the trend right now and it has not peaked.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@CountScrofula Sad but I think you are right. Could it happen to a Western Democracy?
CountScrofula · 41-45, M
@Burnley123 Certainly. I'm not sure by what mechanism though. Like, for example I don't think it would be particularly easy for Trump to just remove term limits and stay in power indefinitely.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@CountScrofula The west is not at that stage yet. Things would have to get a lot worse and I hope they don't. Italy is currently Europe's biggest danger.