One of the most important figures of the Jair Bolsonaro administration never actually held an official position in the Brazilian government, yet he appointed several cabinet members and high-ranking secretaries. He was ignored by academia, yet managed to gather thousands of disciples to follow his far-right philosophy. He never owned many possessions, was derided by members of his own family, and became notable for his potty mouth, firearm collection, and his curious anal fixation — yet he had a direct line to some of the most important and powerful figures in the country.
The astrologist, writer, professor, and self-taught philosopher Olavo de Carvalho died on Monday at the age of 74, after a life chock full of contradictions. He died in hospital where he was being treated for Covid-19, a virus he believed was “invented” by the press.
He had been hospitalized in the city of Richmond, Virginia, where he had lived since 2005. Last year, he spent some time in Brazil to treat heart problems, making use of the country’s public health system he criticized for many years.
Since the early hours of Tuesday morning, the death of the far-right ideologue has been the biggest talking point on social media in Brazil, both by supporters and detractors. His daughter Heloísa — who cut ties with her father in 2017 and joined the center-left Workers’ Party, the target of much of Mr. Carvalho’s ire —...
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