‘Another Coup d’état’: Fears Grow as Flávio Bolsonaro Vows to ‘Re-democratise’ Brazil

THE GUARDIAN: After a surprise first-round victory, critics suggest son of disgraced ex-president could seek to continue his father’s authoritarian project

Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Flávio Bolsonaro 45, goes into the 25 October runoff as favourite after a first-round win against Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday. Photograph: André Borges/EPA
Flávio Bolsonaro, the far-right frontrunner to become Brazil’s next president, has vowed to “re-democratise” the South American country, increasing fears about a move into authoritarian rule if he wins power.

Brazil was re-democratised in the 1980s after a brutal 21-year dictatorship that Flávio’s father, the disgraced ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, has long praised.

Last year, Jair Bolsonaro, a former soldier who served under that military regime, was jailed for 27 years for trying to engineer a coup after he lost the 2022 election to the current leftwing president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Flávio, 45, beat Lula, 80, in Sunday’s presidential election first round and goes into the runoff on 25 October as favourite. On Tuesday, the rightwinger vowed to capitalise on the hugely increased far-right presence in congress after the election to change the constitution and “re-democratise this country”.

“The only thing standing in the way of Brazil becoming a barbarity is called Flávio Bolsonaro as president,” he claimed at a campaign event in Goiânia, a city near the capital, Brasília.

The incendiary comments caused outrage among historians and opponents of Bolsonaro’s radical populist movement, who have accused him of co-opting the language of democracy to disguise an illiberal shift. » | Tom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro | Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Brazil: Between Violence and Lust for Life | ARTE.tv Documentary

Oct 7, 2026 | Brazil is a divided country facing a landmark election: President Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of the former president, are the frontrunners in the contest. This episode of Tracks East traces the fault lines in Brazilian society: Vibrant fashion is coming out of the favelas, violence persists from both gangs and the police, and indigenous peoples continue to fight for their land and culture.

Brazil Heads to General Election with Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro as Front-runners | BBC News

Oct 4, 2026 | Brazilians have begun voting in a general election, where the most prominent candidates are current president, left-wing leader Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva, and right-wing Flávio Bolsonaro.

The election has raised questions about US influence, trade tariffs, organised crime and Brazil’s sovereignty.

Here’s what you need to know about Brazil’s general election, and the two candidates leading the polls.

Trump Targets Brazil With 25% Tariff, Citing Unfair Trade Practices

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The proposal marks the latest effort by the administration to rebuild its tariff agenda through Section 301 investigations.

The Trump administration on Monday proposed a 25 percent tariff on a broad range of Brazilian imports, concluding after a trade investigation that Brazil had engaged in unfair practices that imposed burdens on American businesses.

In a news release, the United States Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, said the investigation found that Brazil had failed to adequately enforce intellectual property rights and had not taken sufficient measures to combat corruption and bribery. The administration also cited Brazil’s restrictions on access to its ethanol market, and what it described as inadequate enforcement of anti-deforestation laws.

The investigation was conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which authorizes the United States to impose tariffs and other penalties in response to unfair foreign trade practices.

Mr. Greer said that he and President Trump had “several constructive meetings” with the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, over the past year, but that “substantial differences” remained over issues identified in the investigation. The United States Trade Representative is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposed measures on July 6. » | Daisuke Wakabayashi | Tuesday, June 2, 2026

This sounds like harassment to me! Trump loves harassing people, especially if they have a socialist leaning. — © Mark Alexander

Lula Says Brazil Will Not Be Treated Like ‘Tinpot Country’ after US Designates Gangs as Terrorists

THE GUARDIAN: Marco Rubio made announcement after meeting president’s far-right challenger Flávio Bolsonaro

Brazil will not be treated as a “tinpot country,” the country’s president, Luiz Inácio da Silva, said on Friday after the United States designated Brazil’s two largest criminal gangs, the First Capital Command (PCC) and the Red Command, as foreign terrorist organisations.

The announcement, made by Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, on Thursday, is being widely seen in Brazil as a setback for Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the president who had strongly opposed the designation – and a boost for Lula’s main challenger in October’s presidential election, the far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro.

Chosen to run in place of his father, Jair Bolsonaro – the former president who is barred from running because he is in house arrest after being convicted of attempting a coup – Flávio spent this week in the US, where he met with Donald Trump and Rubio.

Lula said he was “very saddened” by the news that “the United States secretary, from North America, a certain Marco Rubio, said that our criminals here are terrorists and that Americans can intervene”, he said during a speech at an event in the state of Sergipe.

“We do not accept being treated like little boys. We do not accept being treated as if we were some tinpot country,” he added.

In a statement, he also called the Bolsonaro family “traitors” and “false patriots”. » | Tiago Rogero in Rio de Janeiro | Friday, May 29, 2026

‘You Don’t Own Iran’: Lula Goes Nuclear on Trump In Explosive Speech; ‘Don’t Lie to Destroy Nations’

Apr 19, 2026 | Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva delivered a powerful and highly critical speech, directly targeting global powers and accusing world leaders, including Donald Trump, of spreading false narratives to justify wars and interventions. Speaking at an international summit in Barcelona, Lula strongly condemned past conflicts including the Iran war, Gaza genocide, and military interventions in the Middle East. He called for an end to what he described as the use of misinformation to destroy nations and demanded greater respect for international institutions like the United Nations. His remarks also highlighted how regions such as Latin America and the Arab world are often misrepresented in global discourse. The speech has sparked intense debate across diplomatic circles, marking one of Lula’s most forceful public interventions on global politics.

Brazil Is One Step Ahead of Rising Oil Prices, Thanks to Sugarcane

Apr 14, 2026 | Brazil's ethanol industry, born out of an oil crisis in the 1970s and rooted in decades of sugarcane cultivation, is experiencing a new moment in the spotlight as rising oil prices driven by Middle East conflict once again highlight the value of energy independence.

All gasoline sold in the country contains 30 percent ethanol, and most Brazilian cars run on flex-fuel engines, a locally developed technology that lets drivers choose between gasoline and ethanol at the pump. The industry's backers say consumers have saved more than 40 billion dollars over the past three decades thanks to that flexibility.

Now, the next chapter is taking shape: Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, including BYD, are working to integrate Brazil's flex-fuel system into hybrid EVs, with the first ethanol-compatible hybrid set to launch in the coming weeks. Advocates argue ethanol and electrification are not rivals but partners in reducing fossil fuel dependence, pointing to both the environmental and economic benefits of a fuel that Brazil produces domestically.

More than 40 years after launching one of the world's most ambitious biofuel programs, Brazil finds itself ahead of the curve once again. Paulo Cabral reports from São Paulo.

Brazil: Bolsonaro under House Arrest, Escalating Tensions with Trump

Aug 5, 2025 | Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been placed under house arrest by the Supreme Court.

He’s on trial for allegedly masterminding a coup to remain in office after he was defeated at the ballot box in 2022. The far-right leader denies he tried to overthrow the country’s current president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Donald Trump’s administration has condemned the arrest calling it politically motivated and a silencing of the opposition.

Trump Hits Brazil with Tariffs over Bolsonaro Trial | DW News

Aug 2, 2025 | Brazil’s finance minister says the Trump administration’s tariffs are “more favourable” than he expected, but that there is still “a lot of injustice” in the measures. Trump's order adds a 40 percent levy on Brazilian goods, bringing the total up to 50 percent. The tariffs affect coffee and meat, two major Brazilian exports, but exempts hundreds of other products. Today in Sao Paulo, demonstrators gathered outside the US Consulate. They claim that Trump is using tariffs to force Brazil into dropping the trial of his ally, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.

Trump Attacks Brazil to Weaken BRICS. Lula Pushes Back: We Don't Want US 'Emperor' or 'World Police'

Aug 2, 2025 | The White House imposed 50% tariffs on Brazil and declared it a threat to US "national security". Donald Trump is blatantly meddling in internal Brazilian affairs, trying to undermine left-wing President Lula da Silva and help far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro. The USA's attacks also aim to divide BRICS and discourage more countries from joining. Political economist Ben Norton explains how the US empire is attacking the Global South's multipolar project.

Trump Escalates Fight With Brazil, Taking Aim at Its Economy and Politics

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The White House hit Brazil on Wednesday with a 50 percent tariff and sanctions on a justice overseeing investigations into former President Jair Bolsonaro.

The United States on Wednesday made good on its threats to apply 50 percent tariffs on Brazil two days ahead of schedule and slapped sanctions on the Supreme Court justice overseeing the criminal case against former President Jair Bolsonaro.

The dual measures showed that, just as Brazilian officials sought dialogue, the White House sharply escalated the growing diplomatic crisis between the Western Hemisphere’s two most populous nations.

The tariffs against Brazil are the highest of any levy President Trump has imposed this year, though they exclude many of Brazil’s key exports to the United States, like commercial aircrafts, energy products and orange juice.

The actions against Alexandre de Moraes, a Brazilian Supreme Court justice, are a highly unusual use of some of the gravest human rights sanctions the U.S. government has at its disposal. » | Ana Ionova and Jack Nicas | Ana Ionova reported from Brasília, and Jack Nicas from Rio de Janeiro. | Wednesdaay, July 30, 2025

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Million-strong Anti-government Protests Sweep Brazil, 1 killed
A hundred cities across Brazil have seen a fresh wave of mass protests while the first death has been reported among the demonstrators, in the state of Sao Paulo. Reports say the anti-government rally amassed a staggering one million people. Political analyst Adrian Salbuchi believes it's ultimately the colossal gap between the rich and the poor that's enraging the people.

Brazil ‘Overtakes UK’s Economy’
BBC: Brazil has become the sixth-biggest economy in the world, the country's finance minister has said.

The Latin American nation's economy grew 2.7% last year, official figures show, more than the UK's 0.8% growth.

The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) and other economic forecasters also said that Brazil had now overtaken the UK.

The Brazilian economy is now worth $2.5tn (£1.6tn), according to Finance Minister Guido Mantega. » | Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Brazil's Millionaires Increasing in Numbers
Brazil's booming economy has helped bring millions of more citizens into the country's middle class population in the last decade.

According to a new report, the upper class is also rapidly expanding with 19 new millionaires a day in the world's fifith largest economy.

Gabriel Elizondo reports from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Brazilians Seek Florida Real Estate Bargains
Overseas buyers are finding opportunity in a depressed housing market in Miami, Florida.

Many properties have been left vacant for years, and now a number of Brazilian investors are taking advantage of rock-bottom prices.

Al Jazeera's Barbara Benitez reports from Miami.

Risking It All - Brazil

U.S., Brazil Push Investment, Trade Agendas
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: BRASILIA -- At the outset of a three-country tour of Latin America, President Barack Obama heaped huge praise on Brazil's remarkable economic rise, but received a tongue lashing in return from Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who criticized the U.S. loose monetary policy for contributing to "acute" global imbalances by artificially weakening the U.S. dollar.

A joint appearance by the two leaders in Brazil's futuristic presidential palace was perhaps most remarkable for the subject that barely came up: The near simultaneous launching of U.S.-backed military engagements in Libya. Near the end of his remarks, Mr. Obama said the United Nations coalition, led by France and the U.K., was ready to "act with urgency." More details weren't available from the president, since Brazil did not allow reporters to ask questions.

So, as French jets took to the air over Libya, Mr. Obama spoke mainly on economic cooperation with Brazil, joking once about his disappointment that Chicago lost the 2016 Olympics to Rio de Janeiro. Later, Mr. Obama gave more extensive statements on Libya to U.S. reporters travelling with him.

Indeed, Mr. Obama's Latin American trip, which also includes Chile and El Salvador, is certain to be overshadowed the escalating hostilities. The visit is meant to reestablish the U.S. presence as an economic partner as Brazil and other resource rich Latin nations forge closer ties with China. But even before departing, Mr. Obama was criticized for leaving the U.S. amid international turmoil and pressing domestic budget debates. » | Paulo Prada, Laura Meckler in Brasilia, Tom Murphy in San [São?] Paulo | Saturday, March 19, 2011

WIKI: Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil »

Obama’s Trade Strategy Runs Into Stiff Resistance
President Obama and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany talked, and disagreed, at the Group of 20 meeting on Thursday. Photograph: The New York Times
THE NEW YORK TIMES: SEOUL, South Korea — President Obama’s hopes of emerging from his Asia trip with the twin victories of a free trade agreement with South Korea and a unified approach to spurring economic growth around the world ran into resistance on all fronts on Thursday, putting Mr. Obama at odds with his key allies and largest trading partners.

The most concrete trophy expected to emerge from the trip eluded his grasp: a long-delayed free trade agreement with South Korea, first negotiated by the Bush administration and then reopened by Mr. Obama, to have greater protections for American workers.

And as officials frenetically tried to paper over differences among the Group of 20 members with a vaguely worded communiqué to be issued Friday, there was no way to avoid discussion of the fundamental differences of economic strategy. After five largely harmonious meetings in the past two years to deal with the most severe downturn since the Depression, major disputes broke out between Washington and China, Britain, Germany and Brazil.

Each rejected core elements of Mr. Obama’s strategy of stimulating growth before focusing on deficit reduction. Several major nations continued to accuse the Federal Reserve of deliberately devaluing the dollar last week in an effort to put the costs of America’s competitive troubles on trading partners, rather than taking politically tough measures to rein in spending at home.

The result was that Mr. Obama repeatedly found himself on the defensive. He and the South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak, had vowed to complete the trade pact by the time they met here; while Mr. Obama insisted that it would be resolved “in a matter of weeks,” without the pressure of a summit meeting it was unclear how the hurdles on nontariff barriers to American cars and beef would be resolved. >>> Sewell Chan, Sheryl Gay Stolberg and David E. Sanger | Thursday, November 11, 2010

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Obama Ends G-20 Summit With Criticism of China >>> Sewell Chan | Friday, November 12, 2010

A Lesson from China in Where Power Lies
THE TELEGRAPH: China believes its economic success reflects its superior culture.

The leaders of the G20 group of rich and developing nations met in Seoul this week for what might reasonably be described as their first post-crisis summit. But it also had the feeling of the first post-Western summit. China, the world’s second richest nation and its rising power, believes that the financial crisis was actually a “North Atlantic crisis”. Now that the worst of it is over, Beijing sees little reason to swallow the medicine for someone else’s sickness. The summit therefore broke up – none too amicably – without really addressing the trade imbalances that were one of the root causes of the crisis, or America’s worry that Beijing is gaining an unfair advantage by artificially keeping its currency weak. Instead, China flexed its muscles and got what it wanted: a watered-down statement that will not force it to change course. If President Obama hoped that the G20 would burnish his image as a world statesman after the disaster of the midterm elections, those hopes were disappointed.

It is inescapable that we are witnessing a historic shift of economic power from West to East. David Cameron has certainly taken this on board, judging by the caution with which he and his Cabinet members treated China during their visit earlier this week. The Prime Minister approached the subject of human rights far more obliquely than he did as leader of the Opposition. Whether this was wise judgment or a failure of nerve is difficult to say. Although China treats dissidents with gross inhumanity, the more it is lectured on the subject, the more intransigent it becomes. In a sense, that is convenient for Mr Cameron: if protesting about repression makes the situation worse, then Britain can concentrate on trade with a fairly clear conscience. Read on and comment >>> Telegraph View | Friday, November 12, 2010

G20 Rabble-rousing Professor Is Suspended ahead of Summit
MAIL Online: The university professor masterminding mayhem at the G20 summit in London was suspended from his job yesterday.

The dramatic move came after anarchist Chris Knight threatened violence against the police in a series of inflammatory declarations.

The 66-year-old former member of Labour's extreme left-wing Militant Tendency warned that 'all hell will break loose' if demonstrators meet police aggression.

Knight, a lecturer in anthropology at the University of East London, confirmed that an effigy of disgraced former RBS boss Sir Fred Goodwin would be among those strung up at the protests and warned bankers to stay away.

He said of Sir Fred, whose house was attacked earlier this week: 'To be honest, if he winds us up any more I'm afraid there will be real bankers hanging from lampposts.'

Last night, his employers said in a statement: 'Professor Chris Knight has been suspended from his duties at the University of East London, pending investigation. In order not to prejudice this process we cannot make any further comment.'

In recent days, Knight has given media interviews warning of his plans to ignite a revolution in the capital to coincide with the G20 meeting. >>> By Michael Seamark | Friday, March 27, 2009

MAIL Online: 'White, Blue-eyed Bankers Have Brought World Economy to Its Knees': What the Brazilian President Told Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown’s efforts to broker an £80billion bailout for world trade on a trip to Brazil hit a stumbling block tonight when the country’s president lashed out at ‘white, blue-eyed’ bankers for bringing the world economy to its knees.

Mr Brown watched on uneasily as his host, President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva, launched a bizarre tirade in which he warned that next week’s G20 summit in London would be a ‘spicy’ affair.

President Lula said it was completely unfair that the poorest people in the world were suffering most for the mistakes of wealthy, Western financiers.

‘This was a crisis that was fostered and boosted by irrational behaviour of people that are white, blue-eyed, that before the crisis looked like they knew everything about economics,’ he declared.

‘Now they have demonstrated that they don’t know anything about economics.’

President Lula, head of Brazil’s main left-wing party, said that ‘no black man or woman, no indigenous person, no poor person’ had been in any way culpable for the global banking crisis.

‘I’m not acquainted with any black banker,’ he said. ‘The part of humanity that’s responsible should pay for the crisis.’ >>> By James Chapman | Friday, March 27, 2009

Summit Shows Times Have Changed
BBC: The G20 summit in Washington was a striking event first of all for who was there.

Global economic meetings used to mean the G7 and then the G8.

It was a rich-country affair with Russia invited in during in the 1990s - but that was to tackle international political issues, not for the sake of a contribution to the economic discussions.

How times have changed. A global economic problem needed a presence from developing country leaders.

The G20 was already up and running as a forum for finance ministers with the big developing economies as members - China, India, Russia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and others.

And so they came to Washington, as countries hit by the developed world's financial crisis and, in some cases, as countries that might be able to help fix it.

Co-ordinated response

The communique issued after the summit is not on its own going to change the world.

The political machinery of the global economy is not going to be turned upside down, although those big developing countries at the summit are beginning to get a tentative grip on the levers. >>> By Andrew Walker, BBC News, Washington | November 16, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – USA)
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Hardcover – USA)