Political developments in Brazil in February of 2024 have raised hopes that the perpetrators of the attempted coup of January 8th 2022 in Brasilia will finally be brought to justice. It is perhaps serendipitous that publication of our current Latin American Perspectives issue, though delayed by a few months, should come to press at this moment. Contained within its pages readers will find many articles which discuss some of the most important events and topics leading up to the coup attempt as well as its repercussions. In this issue readers will find information about a variety of crucial topics important for understanding the current state of Brazil, as well as gain insights into its future direction. Articles detail the political rise of Bolsonaro and his administration and the American involvement in the “long coup” which targeted the PT and Dilma Roussef which ultimately helped to place Bolsonaro in the presidency. Also discussed is the rise of the “new right”, a hybrid of neoconservative ideologies with neoliberal economic philosophies, as well as the contradictions between Bolsonaro’s populist nationalist rhetoric and the purposeful dismantling of the social welfare infrastructure while submitting to international economic interests, and the market capitalization of healthcare and privatization of social services. This contradictory rhetoric extended to the discriminatory and racist immigration policies evident in the treatment of Venezuelan and Haitian refugees, as well as to the hyper-masculinization of political discourse to the detriment of women’s rights, the issue of women’s struggles for justice in the countryside, and of labor relations with the government in general.
We trust readers will find the articles and information contained in this issue not only interesting but useful in providing a much needed perspective as current events unfold in Brazil.
