Good morning! This week, we’re covering CPAC Brazil—a conservative event imported by the Bolsonaros. And the crypto-gold rush taking Brazilians to Paraguay. Lower tariffs pushing more Brazilians towards credit. Also, what you should be looking out for this week—and the most important facts of the previous seven days.
What to make of CPAC Brazil
Amid a war within his own party, member of Congress Eduardo Bolsonaro was the star of the first edition of the Brazilian Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). The event, aimed at “thinking and discussing conservatism,” included several senior members of the Bolsonaro administration, including Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo, Human Rights Minister Damares Alves, and the Chief of Staff, Onyx Lorenzoni.
The event pushed the textbook points of contemporary far-right conservative rhetoric: lashing out at “the threat of communism,” pro-LGBTQ policies, the press, and climate change.
Why it matters. CPAC Brazil consolidates Eduardo Bolsonaro as his father’s political heir for the long haul. At ease in his role as the keynote speaker, he benefits from having more charisma and better looks than his father, making him more appealing to a broader range of voters. At the end of the event, those in attendance dubbed him the “Little...