four voters tell us why they vote for Jair Bolsonaro

Cell phones rise along the streets of Sao Joao de Meriti (Brazil), as do the “V”s for victory. Thousands of supporters in yellow and green, the colors of Brazil and candidate president Jair Bolsonaro, follow the procession of their champion, Thursday, October 27, three days before the second round of the presidential election. Motorcyclists roar the engines with a deafening noise, while the flags of the countryside keep flying in the air.

The atmosphere is festive in this city of Baixada Fluminense, a vast popular suburb in the north of Rio de Janeiro which brings together nearly four million inhabitants. In this municipality with decrepit buildings crossed by commuter trains, Jair Bolsonaro finds himself on conquered ground. “Le Mythe” won 54.30% of the vote in the first round, against 38.54% for his opponent on the left, former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. A score well above the national average.

Who are these voters, fervent supporters or more pragmatic sympathizers of the far-right leader? Why will they give him their vote on Sunday? As the election approached, franceinfo traveled to the Rio de Janeiro region to meet these Brazilians who had become “bolsonarists”.

Michele, 32: “He makes family and country his priorities”

That day, in Sao Joao de Meriti, Michele sees “his” president for the first time. Jair Bolsonaro and his convoy passed a few meters from her, in front of the industrial equipment store where she works alongside her father. “When he went in the caravan, I was crazy!”, smiles the 32-year-old voter. Before Bolsonaro, she had no “never found a politician worthy of [s]we are enthusiastic”.

16 years ago, in 2006, this resident of the northern suburbs of Rio gave her voice to her rival. “I voted for the left without having any knowledge of politics. I voted for Lula because he looked good”defends the seller, repeating that she will not vote “Never again” for his movement, the Workers’ Party (PT). The extent of the corruption charges and Lula’s time in prison have left indelible marks, even if the courts overturned the former president’s convictions. “He’s a thief, a liar and a manipulator”Michele blurts out, the words of which contrast with her calm, laughing voice. “Bolsonaro brought hope.”

This married woman, of evangelical confession, firmly believes in the doctrine of the president: “God, Country and Family”. “He made it his priorities”, claims Michele. Like her, a large part of evangelicals vote in favor of Jair Bolsonaro. In around 30 cities with more than 50% of inhabitants of this confession, the leader collected an average of 64.73% of the votes in the first round, according to an analysis by the Brazilian news site UOL (content in Portuguese).

The Brazilian, who sees family as “the basis of society”, joins its candidate on the defense of the model “traditional”. She opposes the right to abortion except in cases of rape, and appreciates that Jair Bolsonaro ensures “protect children”. “He is against their sex education”she points out, taking up unfounded rumors circulating in bolsonarist circles.

From his dark and cramped store, Michele agrees that Jair Bolsonaro “may appear harsh, rude”, but the saleswoman denies the sexism of her candidate. The proof, “he is married and has a daughter”, she replies. What will she do on Sunday evening, if the favorite in the polls, Lula, wins against the outgoing president? “I don’t even want to think about it”, responds the interested party.

Bernardo Mattos, 41: “People are no longer afraid to show their interest in weapons”

This October morning, Bernardo Mattos gives us an appointment in a shooting club in his rather well-to-do neighborhood, in the west of Rio. The Brazilian with the imposing stature and thin glasses, greets the owner of the premises in a friendly way. Shooting teacher, manager of a club and a weapons store, former champion… In this environment, Bernardo Mattos is known as the white wolf. “I’ve loved guns since I was a kid”confides this son of a naval officer. “It fascinated me. Shooting for the first time, I felt adrenaline, a feeling of liberation.”

Sunday, the one who has carried a weapon since he was 21 “to defend [sa] life” will vote for Jair Bolsonaro. Gun owners in Brazil are strongly defended by the incumbent president. “Bolsonaro has given more visibility to this world”, greets the one who says he owns about sixty firearms). Thanks to the manager, “There is less fear and more knowledge. People understand that good people can have a gun. They are no longer afraid to show their interest”he welcomes.

For the first time, Bernardo Mattos, a gun tattooed on his arm, feels “100% represented” by a politician. “I always believed a lot in everything he said, about family, religion, freedom”he points out. “The state said it was always going to defend the population but it was deceiving them. Everyone knows that it is easier to draw your weapon than to call someone for help”he argues.

What do voters think of suicides and accidents with firearms, which are increasing in Brazil according to the NGO Sou da Paz, quoted by NPR*? “Accidents do happen”replies the forties, while calling for “educate better” Brazilians on guns. The Brazilian is convinced of this: “The more houses there are with guns inside, the greater the sense of security.”

Samir Crispim, 37: “He respected entrepreneurs during the pandemic”

Also in western Rio, the first customers enter the gym of Samir Crispim, 37, for a crossfit session. Between coaches and training partners, we easily talk about politics, four days before the second round. The master of the place, he will vote for Jair Bolsonaro.

The 30-year-old Brazilian, at the head of the club for five years, had just opened this vast space when the first cases of Covid-19 appeared. “We had just realized our dream”, recalls the former rowing specialist. His room had to close for four months, from March to the summer of 2020, according to local recommendations. Samir Crispim and his partner launched online courses and tapped into their own funds to stay afloat. “We could have lasted two more months, maximum. I would have left it open and given people the choice to come or not.”

Two years later, the voter sees with a good eye the way in which the president, his candidate, has managed this health crisis. As early as May 2020, Jair Bolsonaro called for the reopening of sports halls, judging local isolation measures too restrictive and dangerous for the economy, recalls Reuters*. “It was fundamental, our sector is also linked to health. If the person does sport, it improves his immunity”assures Samir Crispim.

The president, accused of “crime against humanity” by a parliamentary commission of inquiry for his failing management of the epidemic, has he not minimized the virus and placed the economy before health, in a country where Covid-19 has killed more than 680,000 people? The sportsman sees him rather as a leader who has “defended people’s autonomy”, and “tried to balance the issue of the health crisis and the economic crisis”. Some confinements were too exaggerated, he adds. Bolsonaro, him, “respected entrepreneurs, the right of people who wanted to work during the pandemic”. This is partly why he will have his voice again on Sunday.

Mauricio Lobato, 36: “Bolsonaro is more responsible in terms of spending”

In the upscale neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca, where Jair Bolsonaro’s private residence in Rio is located, numerous Brazilian flags appear on the windows of residential buildings. A sign of support for the outgoing president more and more visible as the second round approaches. That morning, Mauricio Lobato enjoys the seafront with his daughter before his day at work. The 30-year-old, employee of a multinational, defines himself as “rather liberal and therefore rather to the right”. On October 2, the day of the first round, this young father voted for a candidate from “the third way”, the centrist Ciro Gomes. His voice will finally go to Jair Bolsonaro in the second round, after several days of reflection. A substantial part of the centre-right or traditional right electorate could do the same on Sunday.

His vote is not a choice of the heart, far from it. The voter readily recognizes the homophobic and sexist remarks of his new candidate, as well as his attitude during the pandemic, “which is not what is expected of a president”. “To mix religion and politics is absurd”, continues Mauricio Lobato. Despite everything, a vote for Jair Bolsonaro remains according to him “much more reasonable” for the good of the country.

“The economy is really what weighed the most” in his choice, explains Mauricio Lobato, more pragmatic than enthusiastic about the president-candidate. “I am a manager, I have to manage budgets”, he says. But, in his eyes, “Bolsonaro is more responsible in terms of spending” than Lula. He enjoys politics “much more liberal” far-right leader and his economy minister, Paulo Guedes. “The markets like it”points out the Brazilian, who salutes the efforts of the Bolsonaro administration to “simplify business creation”. According to him, with this politician, “the population has more to gain”.

*These links refer to pages in English.

This report was produced with the help of Pierre Le Duff, journalist in Brazil, for the preparation and the translation.