Brazil’s new far-right President Jair Bolsonaro declared a crusade against crime, corruption and left-wing ideology as he took office on Tuesday for a four-year term in Latin America’s biggest nation.
In his first public speech wearing the presidential sash, Boslonaro said Brazil would “start to free itself of socialism” and “political correctness,” breaking with policies brought in under decades of leftist rule.
In his inauguration speech before the Brazilian Congress, the 63-year-old veteran called for “a true national pact” to restore his country’s lackluster economy, “without ideological bias.”
Photo: EFE
While Bolsonaro enjoys sky-high approval ratings, many in Brazil fear his nostalgia for the military dictatorship that reigned from 1964 to 1985, his hardline approach to fighting crime, and his record of disparaging women and minorities could herald a harsh shake-up.
Even before being sworn in, Bolsonaro tweeted that he would issue a decree easing gun laws to let “good” citizens own firearms to counter armed criminals — a measure opposed by 61 percent of Brazilians, according to a Datafolha survey.
In a sign of his leanings and alliances, Bolsonaro warmly welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Brazil for his inauguration, and both leaders spoke of their “brotherhood.”
Netanyahu said Bolsonaro had assured him that Brazil’s embassy would be moved to Jerusalem.
Bolsonaro also admires US President Donald Trump, with whom he shares nationalist instincts and a disdain of multilateral organizations. He has vowed to pull Brazil out of a UN global migration pact and is considering doing the same with the Paris climate accord.
The new leader’s open hostility to the left prompted left-wing deputies to spurn his investiture.
Bolsonaro has promised to govern for all of the country’s 210 million Brazilians, although his initial declaration suggests it would be on his terms, as he seeks to remake the country around his agenda.
While his government, which took over yesterday, features a US-trained free market advocate as economy minister and a star anti-corruption judge as justice minister, nearly a third of the 22 ministerial posts are held by former military officers.
There are also concerns for Brazil’s extensive and diverse natural environment, with Bolsonaro’s pro-business push sidelining preservation — especially in the Amazon, sometimes called “the lungs of the planet,” which is at risk from increasing deforestation.
“This inauguration is a turning point,” said 36-year-old teacher Mauro Penna, who was in the crowd. “We are very optimistic — this time our country is going to change.”
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