Home World It’s not ridiculous, it’s dangerous

It’s not ridiculous, it’s dangerous

It's not ridiculous, it's dangerous

As the October elections in Brazil progress, life becomes more tense in the country of the far-right and unbalanced president Jair Bolsonaro. As the figurehead of a ship headed for shipwreck, he renews an already formidable arsenal of warnings that would be ridiculous if they were not at once more and more threatening and, therefore, dangerous.

The current Brazilian electoral legislation is quite clear: the parties must define their candidates for president, governor, senator, national deputy and provincial deputy before August 5. And they have ten days to register the applications with the Superior Electoral Court. As of August 16, the campaign in the streets is authorized, with mobilizations, banners, distribution of printed propaganda, rallies. On the 26th, space is opened for advertising on radio and television. Curiously, there is no reference to social networks, which experienced a very strong growth not foreseen by the legislation.

This clear and rigorous calendar has always not been respected. But never before has anything like what is being seen now been seen. For a year, Bolsonaro has insisted on staying on a permanent electoral campaign. According to all respectable polls and surveys, former president Lula da Silva appears as the clear favorite over the current president. There is a real possibility, although somewhat distant, that Lula will win in the first round, on Sunday, October 2.

And it is precisely in front of that painting that Bolsonaro moves. While he does no more than reduce Lula’s advantage by a few points, the far-rightist strives to increase the tone of his angry speech and spread more threats against democracy, with the Supreme Federal Court and the Superior Electoral Court as his favorite target. rage.

Surrounded by senior retired Army officers, Bolsonaro is increasingly insisting on his threats against the voting system with electronic ballot boxes. Used since 1996, the method has never registered any case of fraud. But in his growing imbalance, Bolsonaro does nothing but denounce its use, alleging that the result will be fraudulent.

If the retired generals who surround him are totally adept at his outbursts against the democratic system, the active military have so far opted for a deathly silence. In any case, nothing prevents Bolsonaro’s strident threats from being repeated. His latest proposal is that electronic ballot boxes be used only if the vote is filmed. In other words, the voter approaches the ballot box and a camera at the same time. It would be ridiculous if the statement were not dangerous.

The president praises the loyalty of the furious minority that follows him. There are clear indications that part of that militancy will adopt aggressive positions in street demonstrations between now and the elections. If what he wants is not done, Bolsonaro has already made it very clear that he will oppose the outcome of the polls. And what will come next no one knows. In recent days, the president has repeated to his trusted interlocutors that he fears “following the example of Jeanine Áñez”, the Bolivian senator who, after a coup against Evo Morales, assumed the presidency of her country. She was imprisoned and is serving a sentence of ten years in prison.

Faced with this possibility, Bolsonaro has already warned: he will resist with a gun in his fist, “shooting to kill.” That would be another ridiculous statement, if it weren’t definitely dangerous.

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