Good morning! Today, how the presidential runoff campaign has been co-opted by religion. Bolsonaro and Lula seeking to gain support ahead of the October 30 vote. Brazil’s growth to fall under Latin American average.
☕ If you like our work and want to give us an extra boost, you can fill up our reporters’ coffee mugs. Supporters get exclusive perks! Find out more.
Religion at the center of the campaign
Perhaps unlike any other presidential campaign in Brazilian history, religion has taken center stage in the 2022 race. And the runoff period began with the camps of both former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and President Jair Bolsonaro throwing (slanderous) religious-based attacks against one another.
Devil. On social media, Lula was associated with an alleged satanist who predicted the center-left politician would clinch a first-round win. Content accusing Lula of sealing a pact with the devil also flooded conservative social media groups and networks.
- It may seem ludicrous, but the Workers’ Party saw it necessary to publish campaign material saying “Lula believes in God and is a Christian” and that “Lula has no pact nor has ever spoken with the devil.”
Freemasonry. From the other side, the attacks centered...