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President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in November’s election has given hope to Brazil’s former leader Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently barred from running for public office until 2030 due to a ruling by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court.
Known as the “Trump of the Tropics,” the court decision stemmed from his alleged abuse of power and “unfounded attacks on the country’s electronic voting system.”
Despite the prohibition, Bolsonaro and his supporters are actively seeking avenues to overturn the ruling. The expected legal challenges and political strategies pin a lot of hope on Trump. Furthermore, Bolsonaro is counting on the president-elect to exert pressure on the government of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) so he can challenge for the presidency in 2026.
“Trump’s victory goes far beyond being positive for democracy in Brazil and the world; it is good news for global peace,” Bolsonaro’s son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, told Fox News Digital.
He noted how “President Lula, days before the election, had expressed support for Kamala Harris and suggested that a new Trump administration would be ‘Nazism in another form.’ However, after Trump’s victory, Lula congratulated the president-elect and tried to downplay his earlier, widely criticized statement.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attends a ministerial meeting on plans to support Rio Grande do Sul state, which was affected by floods, at the presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on Monday, May 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Political analyst Sandra Bronzina told Fox News Digital, “Not long ago Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar sponsored a measure to deny visas to members of the Brazilian Supreme Court for abuse of power. At the time, the measure was not approved, but now that the Republicans will have a majority, it could be revisited. We cannot forget that Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Brazilian Supreme Court, was in direct confrontation with Elon Musk, even removing X from Brazil. It turns out that now Elon Musk will be part of the Trump government.”
Bronzina said, “The fact that Trump has returned with a resounding electoral win does not bode well for the Lula administration. In a very short time, Lula’s economic policies have been a disaster, the dollar has risen a lot, inflation has increased, the country’s debt already exceeds 9 trillion reals, and all of this impacts the voter daily. I think that just like in the U.S., where bad economic policies made them miss Trump, the Brazilians right now are also missing Bolsonaro and his Economy Minister, Paulo Guedes.”
Analysts consider that while Bolsonaro enjoys a significant support base and is actively seeking to overturn his political ban, his chances of being re-elected president remain uncertain due to existing legal constraints.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro smiles during a campaign rally in Guarulhos, Sao Paulo area, Brazil, on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
“The Supreme Court disqualified Jair Bolsonaro in a very unfair decision…but the right will be strengthened now since Donald Trump’s victory gave the right in Brazil new hope in 2026. The 2024 elections were favorable for right-wing candidates. Lula’s popularity is also very low, which means that in 2026 the right’s options are enormous”, Congressman Marcel van Hattem told Fox News Digital.