Abstract
Since far-right populist President Jair Bolsonaro seized office last October, we have witnessed a significant change in Brazil’s environmental policies and international posturing regarding the Amazon’s deforestation.
Bolsonaro is deemed by many as “Trump of the Tropics.” But Brazil is not the United States: it is a country with deep roots in political authoritarianism. Having lived through 21 years of military dictatorship, Brazil’s far-right populism and the resurgence of political authoritarianism is increasingly a threat to Brazilian’s democratic freedoms. The incumbent administration is unashamedly revising Brazil’s environmental protection laws and now is attempting to interfere with emerging data on the deforestation of the Amazon’s rainforest. These are all matters of great concern.
Bolsonaro is deemed by many as “Trump of the Tropics.” But Brazil is not the United States: it is a country with deep roots in political authoritarianism. Having lived through 21 years of military dictatorship, Brazil’s far-right populism and the resurgence of political authoritarianism is increasingly a threat to Brazilian’s democratic freedoms. The incumbent administration is unashamedly revising Brazil’s environmental protection laws and now is attempting to interfere with emerging data on the deforestation of the Amazon’s rainforest. These are all matters of great concern.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Specialist publication | Australian Outlook |
| Publication status | Published - 6 Aug 2019 |
