Even when absent, Jair Bolsonaro’s presence will be felt at the G20 summit

Jair Bolsonaro won't attend the G20 Summit, in Buenos Aires

On November 30, the G20 Summit kicks off in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It will be the first time the leaders of the 20 largest economies in the world will meet in South America. It is also the first major international event since Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil. Even though he has not been sworn in yet (and chose not to attend the event), it will be a sort of “debut” of his platform on the world stage.

Incumbent President Michel Temer invited Mr. Bolsonaro to join him on the trip, but the president-elect refused for medical reasons. He is still using a colostomy bag, a result of the stabbing that almost killed him during the electoral campaign.

It is expected that the trade war between the U.S. and China will be the main topic of the summit. “This issue is very...

Diogo Rodriguez

Diogo Rodriguez is a social scientist and journalist based in São Paulo. He worked in the first Brazilian Report team, back in 2017, leaving in 2018 to pursuit a master's degree from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. He has returned to The Brazilian Report in 2023.