 "Trump's victory energises Brazil’s right-wing politics, fuelling hopes for Bolsonaro’s 2026 comeback")
Donald Trump’s victory in the US has reignited Brazil’s hard-right movement, with supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro now hoping to replicate Trump’s political comeback despite legal hurdles.
Bolsonaro, who was banned from holding office until 2030 due to his unfounded claims about Brazil’s voting system, has seen a surge of backing from his base pushing for amnesty.
Bolsonaro, often called the “Trump of the Tropics,” expressed gratitude for Trump’s win on Tuesday, suggesting that it could pave the way for his return to power in 2026, despite the challenges he faces from electoral restrictions. While analysts view his political revival as a long shot, Bolsonaro’s allies remain determined to secure his return to the presidency.
”Trump’s victory will inspire conservatives worldwide and reinforce the movement in Brazil to re-elect Jair Bolsonaro as president in the 2026 elections,” said Valdemar Costa Neto, head of Bolsonaro’s right-wing Liberal Party (PL).
Party officials hailed Trump’s victory as part of a global trend including the election of right-wing libertarian Javier Milei as president of Argentina last year and Brazil’s recent municipal elections confirming a more conservative electorate.
Bolsonaro and his allies have been pushing to restore his eligibility, with his son Senator Fabio Bolsonaro wearing a ”Bolsonaro 2026” shirt to the polls last month.
Another son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, Brazil’s representative at CPAC in the United States, was at Trump’s Mar-o-Lago resort on Tuesday night celebrating his victory and posting photos with him to social media.
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Leonardo Barreto of political consultancy Think Policy said Trump’s victory may embolden Brazilians on the far right to resist calls to moderate their views, ”because Trump didn’t and he managed to get elected again”.
Bolsonaro was barred from public office for eight years after being convicted by Brazil’s top electoral court of abusing power and misusing public media to spread unfounded claims about the country’s electronic voting system.
He has been formally accused by federal police of tampering with COVID-19 vaccination cards while in office and of embezzling jewelry gifted by the Saudi government.
Bolsonaro is also being investigated for his alleged role in a coup plot after losing his 2022 re-election bid, when his supporters vandalized government buildings in a riot that recalled the storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump backers.
PL leader Costa Neto is hoping an amnesty bill in Congress affecting some 1,600 people still in jail for the January 8, 2023 uprising in Brasilia will include Bolsonaro, opening the door for him to run again in 2026.
However, political risk consultant Lucas de Aragao said there is no reason to think the judiciary will budge on Bolsonaro’s ineligibility.
”A reversal is unlikely, even with Trump’s victory,” he said.
With inputs from agencies.
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