Explaining Brazil #256: Brazilian separatism?

Brazil is such a large and diverse country that it’s amazing that it’s even a country at all. Distances between its northern and southern points are massive, and populations are often vastly ethnically and culturally different from one region to another. It’s a wonder that separatism is rarely ever debated.

And regional disparities are also huge. More than 40 percent of Brazilians live in the southeast, which is also home to more than half of the country’s GDP.

Political leanings often run along regional lines as well. A glance at the 2022 election results plotted onto a map of Brazil shows a clear pattern: by and large, the North and Northeast elected current President Lula, while the southeast, south, and center-west went for then-incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

And that’s the topic of today’s episode. What separates Brazilians from each other? And what keeps them together? And why are people accusing the governor of Minas Gerais of spreading separatism?

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This episode used music from Uppbeat and from Envato. License codes: Aspire by Pryces (B6TUQLVYOWVKY02S). Vlog by Korolkov (E795FZYARN) and Minimalist Solo Cello Soundtrack by Orchestralis (J8XDCW6B5S)

In this episode:

• Cedê Silva is The Brazilian Report’s correspondent in Brasilia.

Background reading:

• With Jair Bolsonaro ineligible for public office for eight years, a big space has opened up on Brazil’s right-wing — and Romeu Zema could be best placed to fill it.
• The state of Minas Gerais is always a key battleground in Brazil’s presidential elections. In 2022, it once again picked the winner, but by a tiny margin. We explained why Romeu Zema’s backing of Jair Bolsonaro very nearly decided the vote.

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