"WHAT BRAZIL’S WORKERS’ PARTY NEEDS TO DO IF IT HOPES TO DEFEAT JAIR BOLSONARO’S FAR-RIGHT COALITION" - Andrew Fishman

BRAZIL JUST EXPERIENCED one of the most dramatic moments in its democratic history. Four years ago, Jair Bolsonaro was an Army reservist and a congressman from Rio de Janeiro with relatively limited national influence and connected to a minor party. When his name did pop up, it was usually to be condemned for his outrageous, stupid, hateful, racist, misogynist, or homophobic comments, or his enthusiasm for the military dictatorship and the torture that it inflicted on dissidents. His legislative achievements were almost nonexistent. On Sunday, however, he solidified his role as the leader of a far-right counterrevolution that swept through the nation like a tornado.