I traded one nationalist president for another
I was raised to idealize the United States. Growing up in a Third World country, it was hard to escape the American dream: It is strikingly comforting to think about a land free of the everlasting socioeconomic problems inherent to one’s country of birth. I especially wished I lived somewhere other than Brazil during the 2016 political scandals. In short, a major public oil company’s executives bribed over eighty judiciary and legislative officers. To say the least, the Brazilian people’s despair is understandable.
At the time, the newly exposed corruption cases allowed far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro to rise to power. Through hateful and anti-politician rhetoric, the current president promised his fan base that he would fight corruption by all means necessary. However, those around him, whether they are his wife and sons or his league of loyal partisans, have been linked to dishonest wrongdoings of their own over the past two years. Analogously, Trump’s former campaign chairman and former campaign official were convicted of financial crimes in early 2019.
It seems as if Brazil and the United States are in surprisingly similar political situations, as is most of the world in today’s new trend of illiberal democracy. As American journalist and political scientist Fareed Zakaria predicted in his 1997 essay, openly elected leaders slowly disrespect their country’s constitution and blur the lines between democratic and authoritarian regimes.
For instance, in an attempt to control their narrative, rulers directly go against freedom of speech as they intimidate the press. Earlier in February, Bolsonaro humiliated a female journalist by making sexual insinuations over how she had gotten access to a story that prompted a formal investigation on his campaign. Similarly, Trump commended US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for disrespecting a female journalist during an interview at the end of January.
Zakaria further remarked that with the goal of attaining political control over a free society, rulers will go as far as manipulating the judiciary, inciting cult of personality and using hateful language often. Sound familiar? I am reminded of when Bolsonaro told a congresswoman he “wouldn’t rape her because she doesn’t deserve it” back in 2014. Similarly, Trump performed a mock re-enactment of texts between a female ex-FBI lawyer and her former lover, calling out her name while insinuating an orgasm, in response to tweets about him at a 2019 rally.
Brazilian democracy is just as blatantly nonexistent as that of the US. As old, white, powerful men, neither Bolsonaro nor Trump face accountability for their violent and unprofessional behavior. Their extremely influential positions make them untouchable. Accordingly, citizens have no choice but to become numb to their leader’s detrimental demeanor. Privilege overpowers liability.
Imagine my surprise, or rather disappointment, when it finally dawned on me that North American political superiority was merely a bluff. Sure, I can walk outside with my phone out and buy an infinity of products I could only dream of. Regardless, the American Dream cannot take place in a nation defined by systemic colonialism, a current debt and healthcare crisis and, above all else, an authoritarian administration. Yet, here I am, and here I shall remain. At least, for now.
Hadass Leventhal is a freshman undecided major from São Paulo, Brazil.
