ABSTRACT
Jair Bolsonaro, an insubordinate former army captain, began his political career as a spokesman for the interests of rank-and-file soldiers and policemen. Over a long but undistinguished legislative career, his appeal gradually broadened. He became an avatar of right-wing reaction – homophobic, militaristic, and vehemently against anything and anyone even mildly progressive. But he was largely confined to the political fringe after the return of democracy in the late 1980s. After four consecutive victories for the center-left Workers’ Party between 2002 and 2014, economic crises, and a political class ensnared by myriad corruption scandals, many voters were willing to embrace a radical challenge to the post-dictatorial political consensus. This applied to both conservative voters and those millions of otherwise nonideological Brazilians. Bolsonaro, long seen as beyond the pale, appeared above the fray. His obvious incompetence and failure to successfully deal with the COVID-19 crisis, however, undermined his popularity and the downfall of his close political ally, US President Trump, in January 2021 weakened Bolsonaro’s unique brand of populism.
