100 days of Jair Bolsonaro: Brazilian politics

Back in October, the 58 million votes that propelled Jair Bolsonaro to the presidency had a clear wish, over several different platforms: his supporters demanded a rupture with the way politics has been done in the past. Taking on this idea of disruption, Mr. Bolsonaro has reorganized his cabinet, clashed with Brazilian realpolitik, and redefined the way the president uses social media—for better or for worse.

During his first 100 days in power, Mr. Bolsonaro had to deal with some unprecedented circumstances, such as a third surgery to recover from his stabbing in September 2018, and the most deadly environmental disaster in the country’s history. The unusual situation was coupled with an extended period of inertia in Congress, due to the Carnival holidays coming later this year, in March. This kept analysts and the population in “wait and see” mode over the government’s first months.

However, by now, the government’s frailties have been more than exposed. So far, two cabinet ministers have been fired amid government crises, Mr. Bolsonaro’s party has changed its leadership in the House, and the president has seen unprecedented low popular support for a new head of state in his first three months. But, after all, is this the price to pay for disruption? How long is it going to take for the government to put itself together? Is chaos the new politics?

To answer these and other questions, The Brazilian Report reached out to some of the most respected Brazilian experts in politics, economy, and society. Through diverse opinions, we can try to understand the present and warn about trends that may trace the future...