The election that will mark the course of Latin America

The networks have become a disastrous arena of electoral war where lies, half-truths and insults dominate, especially on the part of the Bolsonaro camp.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the election that will take place in Brazil in the coming days will mark many of the things that happen in the global arena. For starters, whatever happens to the largest nature reserve in the world, the Amazon. During the administration of current President Bolsonaro, the jungle has suffered an unprecedented deforestation process, so if he is re-elected, the world’s main lung is at risk.

Bolsonaro applied an openly predatory strategy, completely focused on agribusiness, with a severe application of more than 1,600 pesticides, many of them already banned in most countries. Bolsonaro’s bench has legislators who openly militate against the jungle and deny climate change. Bolsonaro is a politician who, far from moderating or rectifying his extreme right stance, intensifies them, is openly sexist, homophobic, racist, violent, xenophobic and an enemy of the environment. He vindicates the governments of military dictatorships, including the practices of torture. Bolsonaro had about six million votes less than Lula Da Silva, who also received the support of the candidate who was in third place and the one who was in fourth.

All the polls predict Lula’s victory in the second round by around five points difference, but the truth is that opinion polls underestimated the vote for Bolsonaro in the first round. Apparently an important group of people, at the time they are surveyed, do not say that they are going to vote for a candidate whose positions embarrass them, but for whom in the end they vote because of the climate of fear and polarization that has been generated . The networks have become a disastrous arena of electoral war where lies, half-truths and insults dominate, especially on the part of the Bolsonaro camp.

Democracy itself is at risk in the election of Brazil. Bolsonaro has used the entire government apparatus to attack opponents and try to win the election. He has even referred to the possibility of not handing over power in the event of a defeat. That is, authoritarianism could return as a form of government in the main country of Latin America. Over the weekend I had the opportunity to talk with some veteran leaders of the Brazilian PT, who held top-level positions in their governments, as well as mayors and governors.

They lived through the dictatorship underground, in jail and in exile. They affirm that the persecution suffered during the years of Bolsonaro was also intense, that in the event that he triumphs they will have no choice but to leave the country. On the other hand, Lula’s victory raises the hope that the country will return to the democratic course, which will also contribute to the stability of the entire South American region.

There is already talk of reviving Mercosur and resuming cooperation, now broken, in that region of the world, given the isolationist position of the current Brazilian government. Lula will not be able to govern as he did during his two previous terms, the challenge will be enormous. The PT coalition is now broader, it includes the centrist parties and the congress is already full of those who support Bolsonaro.

It is thought that it could be a transitional government, to redirect the course of Brazilian democracy, now at risk. In Brazil there is no normal choice between left and right options, part of the global environmental viability itself and the democratic nature of a regional power like Brazil are at stake. That’s how important it is.

Twitter: @vidallerenas