On Thursday, the 24th of February, CEBRI's Democracy Program convened the debate "How Does the World Interfere in Our Elections?". To watch the webinar in its entirety, click here. The recent Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rise of autocratic governments around the world pose a threat to Brazil's upcoming elections, experts who participated in the panel said. The foreign policy of the current Brazilian government regarding countries in Europe, Latin America, and the United States and the recent visit of President Bolsonaro to Russia, seen as inopportune, were at the center of the debate.
"The winds of the world influence Brazil in 2022," said Pedro Malan. CEBRI’s Trustee Emeritus mentioned the close relationship between President Jair Bolsonaro and Steve Bannon, former President Donald Trump’s campaign strategist, and warned of the risk of fake news in the next Brazilian election: "I do not underestimate the resumption of this relationship, given that one of President Bolsonaro's sons was chosen to lead the far-right movement led by Steve Bannon in Latin America. There is concern that we are moving from influence to interference in Brazilian elections. In the upcoming elections, fake news could take on a new and growing proportion," he warned.
Malan cited a recently published Economist Intelligence Unit study that analyzed the erosion of democracy in 177 countries around the world. The CEBRI Trustee pointed out that this year's midterm elections in the United States may have an influence on the Brazilian electoral process, highlighting that Trump is still an important political force in the US. The launch of Truth, the former American president's new social network, and the use of Telegram in Brazil are factors of concern, according to the CEBRI Trustee.
Political scientist Demétrio Magnoli highlighted the climate crisis and its negative influence on Brazilian trade relations: "Brazil is a central actor with regard to climate change and environmental agreements. In the Bolsonaro government, this great Brazilian asset in international politics was lost. European governments see Bolsonaro as a climate change denier. This can influence the articulations here in Brazil. Europe is prepared, within its green transition program, to impose costs on Brazilian exports," he warned.
This was the second debate by CEBRI's Democracy Program, which proposes to analyze democracy in Brazil and in the world and whose leader is the academic, lawyer, and writer Joaquim Falcão.
