It's often been said and noted that US culture is America's primary export as it's transmitted through the media, movies, and music that people consume all over the world. This is reflected in changing lifestyles and values in various countries all over the world, and this shift is only accelerating with the Internet.
So, it's also sadly ironic to note that the rhetoric and attitudes of politicians have become another American export as the upcoming Brazilian election has some eerie similarities to the contested 2020 election in the United States.
In Brazil, the incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro has been trailing behind the former Prime Minister Lula for most of the campaign season. However, Bolsonaro has some late momentum and is closing the gap. Further, there is wide disagreement on the accuracy of these polls.
The Bolsonaro campaign is weaponizing this to sow disbelief among its supporters about the upcoming election result, and the candidate has waffled on whether or not he would accept the outcome. Of course, this is quite similar to the lead-up to the 2022 election, and he also questioned the veracity of the previous election in 2018 in which he came out ahead.
The first round of the elections is scheduled for October 2. There is a slight possibility that Lula could win an outright majority in the first round, but most expect that a second round will be needed.
And based on current polls, it would mark a stunning turnaround for former PM Lula who led the country from 2003 to 2010. He also found himself in prison from 2017 to 2019 on corruption charges that were later annulled.
Across South America, there has been a trend of leftist candidates winning power from Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Honduras, Chile, and Colombia. Many of these candidates are putting climate, gender, and sexuality at the forefront of their campaigns and are finding appeal among younger voters. In Brazil, the health and 'deforestation' of the Amazon has become a major issue especially as this has increased under the business-friendly Bolsonaro.
Another major issue will be the economy and inflation which may also favor Lula as his tenure from 2003 to 2010 was marked by a rapidly expanding economy and relatively low inflation, while Bolsanoro's economic record is marred by the pandemic and recent bout of sky-high inflation.