Luiz Augusto fits into the picture that political scientist Guilherme Casarões paints of Bolsonaro’s followers. He spent years researching Bolsonaro and his supporters. “They are often white, slightly older middle-class men.”
“We have had a left-wing government for 13 years and Bolsonaro profiles himself as anti-left,” said Casarões. “He has also introduced a new element in Brazilian politics: faith. This president is religiously nationalist and that attracts many people. But Bolsonaro is also especially anti-establishment, he says he fights against corruption in Brazilian politics.”
Bolsonaro as a victim
This struggle against the established order touches a nerve with many ‘bolsonaristas’. “Our president is fighting against the system,” Luiz Augusto explains. “The system is constantly attacking him because they want to get rid of him.”
“Bolsonaro has succeeded well in putting himself in a victim role,” says political scientist Casarões. “He’s a victim of the system, the press, governors, the Supreme Court. On social media, he’s constantly complaining that he’s being thwarted and that’s a populist, effective way to maintain support.” Casarões compares Bolsonaro to a cult leader: “He is flawless, Bolsonaro makes no mistakes. If you criticize, you place yourself outside the movement,” said the political scientist.
Luiz Augusto has to smile a bit. “Of course the president is a victim. They try to blacken him from all sides. They paint Bolsonaro as an incapable president so that he has no chance in the elections next year.”
Luiz Augusto doesn’t think that will work. “We have a president for whom people take to the streets, while any other candidate can hardly mobilize people. The street is ours.”
–
