Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg
BY OLIVER STUENKEL | SEPTEMBER 21, 2020
A Biden victory would rob the Brazilian president of key political advantages that go far beyond an amicable relationship with President Trump.
https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/why-a-trump-defeat-would-be-a-disaster-for-bolsonaro/
SÃO PAULO – A vivid debate has emerged in Brazil about how a Joe Biden victory in the upcoming presidential election in the United States would affect U.S.-Brazil ties. Some argue that President Jair Bolsonaro’s strong ideological alignment with President Donald Trump would inevitably lead to a significant downgrade of the bilateral relationship, while others believe pragmatism on both sides and U.S. concerns about China’s growing influence would prevent a rupture.
But more than affecting the bilateral relationship alone, a Biden victory could threaten the global environment the Trump presidency helped create for Bolsonaro’s political project. With Brazil’s president openly campaigning for re-election in 2022, another question then arises: How would U.S. election results impact Bolsonaro’s political fortunes?
There are three mains challenges a potential Trump defeat in November would pose for the Brazilian president at home.
First, Trump is wildly popular among Bolsonaro supporters and the perception among his die-hard fans that the Brazilian president possesses privileged access to the White House has been a key political asset for the former army captain. Still, numerous political analysts have pointed out that the Trump-Bolsonaro partnership has produced few concrete benefits for either side — Bolsonaro failed to live up to his promises to help oust Maduro or help reduce Chinese…
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