Brazil

Following the military dictatorship that lasted from 1964 to 1985, the early years of re-democratization were marked by hyperinflation, economic instability, social inequality, and food insecurity. While these issues were mitigated to varying degrees between 1994 and 2019, many re-emerged as a result of ongoing corruption scandals, the rise of far-right politics, the struggle to adequately respond to COVID-19 and a marked increase in political polarization. While millions of Brazilians were lifted from poverty in the early 2000s, inequality rates in the country remain amongst the highest in the region. In 2013, mass protests against increases in the cost of public transportation triggered a broader movement against the then-governing party. Compounding public discontent over the next several years were serious corruption scandals, illegal campaign financing, lack of political dialogue and the rise of anti-establishment far-right discourse. These events marked the following years and electoral processes, and they drive the climate of polarization that continues in politics to this day. In some cases, this has resulted in acts of violence in the context of elections.  

Brazil is a multicultural and multi-racial country. The social dynamics between the different races that make up Brazil’s demography, which are rooted in a history of slavery and the marginalization of Afro Brazilians and Indigenous Peoples, form a point of contention and intersect with economic, social and gender inequality. Around 0.4 per cent of the Brazilian population are Indigenous Peoples, representing 305 ethnic groups, according to data from the 2010 census. It is also the South American country with the greatest number of Indigenous Peoples living in isolation. The expansion of soybean and beef production and budget cuts to oversight agencies in the past years have contributed to an acceleration of deforestation in the Amazon and negatively impacted the welfare of Indigenous communities. Another cleavage is the relevance of religiosity in the country, especially the influence of evangelical beliefs in several political parties. This has an impact on the agenda setting and definition of issues in parties, which in turn can be decisive in government coalitions.

Inequality also intersects with race. White Brazilians, who make up less than half of the population, hold almost twice as much wealth as non-whites. Three-quarters of people living below the poverty line are non-whites. Although non-whites are more than half of the population, only one quarter of Congress members are Black or pardos (“mixed”). Brazil is one of the most violent countries on the continent, and police brutality is a growing problem. Violence against women is pervasive and the rates of femicide are high.

Looking ahead, it will be important to watch the development of Free Political Parties, Elected Government and Clean Elections, especially in light of the weakened political center, growing polarization between left and right-wing parties and the increasingly frequent attacks on the credibility of the electoral system. Moreover, it will be critical to observe how rising polarization impacts not only radicalization and violence, but also political engagement of underrepresented social groups.