Good morning! We’re covering the latest attempt against democracy by President Bolsonaro’s family. The government’s plan to tackle youth unemployment. And the long-coming clash between political parties and renewal movements. (This newsletter is for platinum subscribers only. Become one now!)
A major test to President Bolsonaro’s political strength
During an interview with a YouTube channel, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro said that his father’s administration could pull employ the same strategies as the military dictatorship “if the left radicalizes” and “continues to blame [President Jair] Bolsonaro for everything.”
AI-5. Eduardo Bolsonaro evoked the infamous Institutional Act No. 5 (AI-5), enacted by the military regime in 1968 to give the president powers to dissolve Congress, impeach politicians, and suspend constitutional rights. It was one of the darkest moments in Brazil’s political life and led to the institutionalization of state-sponsored torture.
Response. The statement triggered reactions from all sides of the spectrum, with calls for the impeachment of the president’s son. House Speaker Rodrigo Maia himself evoked the possibility of punishment, stating that “the Constitution abominates, criminalizes, and has instruments to punish any group or citizen who attempts to threaten its principles.”
Why it matters. This is not the first time the Bolsonaros have...