Never mind the Bolsonaro: Could COVID push Brazil over the edge?

Meanwhile, in Brazil… Extreme populist President Jair Bolsonaro’s dismissive response to the Corona crisis makes even Trump’s look vaguely reasonable. Could the anti-lockdown sentiment he’s fomenting push Brazil into real crisis? And how does this homophobic, military fetishist, formerly marginal far-right figure maintain power? Rio-based British journalist DOM PHILLIPS talks to Dorian Lynskey about wild times in the world’s sixth-largest country.

• “A professor in Rio once described Bolsanaro as just a troll… but he has a very popular touch. And he’s very, very extreme.”
• “The stuff I saw during the elections, it’s absolutely staggering that a mainstream politician would say these things.”

Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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