From France to Brazil, voters are railing against the status quo, even as the politics of disenchantment make lasting change nearly impossible.

Brazilian media ridicule defeated candidate over ‘shameful’ absconsion to US and bizarre letter with wrong coat of arms

Flávio Bolsonaro had hoped that by Sunday night people would be calling him the next president of Brazil.

Instead, the far-right politician’s decision to flee to the US after losing the election and – for 58 minutes – to declare himself “Brazil’s true president-elect”, has made him a laughing stock, with Brazilian newspapers and commentators raining a barrage of scornful adjectives down on the conquered candidate.

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© Photograph: Adriano Machado/Reuters

© Photograph: Adriano Machado/Reuters

© Photograph: Adriano Machado/Reuters

Brazilian media ridicule defeated candidate over ‘shameful’ absconsion to US and bizarre letter with wrong coat of arms

Flávio Bolsonaro had hoped that by Sunday night people would be calling him the next president of Brazil.

Instead, the far-right politician’s decision to flee to the US after losing the election and – for 58 minutes – to declare himself “Brazil’s true president-elect”, has made him a laughing stock, with Brazilian newspapers and commentators raining a barrage of scornful adjectives down on the conquered candidate.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Adriano Machado/Reuters

© Photograph: Adriano Machado/Reuters

© Photograph: Adriano Machado/Reuters

Elections are never enough by themselves, but the stunning results from Serbia, Brazil and Hungary have given us hope in dark times

It is undoubtedly too early to declare victory, but the recent electoral defeats of Viktor Orbán, Aleksandar Vučić and Flávio Bolsonaro make me wonder: is 2026 turning out to be the year democracy slowly, but surely, fought back?

Even in Israel, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reigning bloc lost its parliamentary majority and saw the spectacular rise of Arab parties. Though the opposition may not be able to form a government yet, it does have the larger parliamentary bloc.

David Van Reybrouck is a Belgian author and philosopher laureate for the Low Countries. He is the author of Against Elections: The Case for Democracy, and the initiator of Democracy27

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

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© Photograph: Andre Coelho/EPA

© Photograph: Andre Coelho/EPA

© Photograph: Andre Coelho/EPA

The city’s Hispanic majority, news media reach and air links to Latin America have made it an ideal base for politicians escaping their home countries.

© Ricardo Arduengo/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

The trouncing of the far right provides a playbook for social and environmental movements in other countries facing elections, including the US, Spain and France

Thank you, Brazil, for demonstrating how the far right can be trounced while protection for the Amazon is strengthened. In a world where nature and democracy appeared to be bleeding out in tandem, voters and forest defenders in this global south powerhouse have shown it is possible to staunch the flow. This should provide much needed inspiration and, more practically, a playbook for social and environmental movements in other countries facing elections, including the US, Spain and France.

The astonishing comeback victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Sunday’s presidential runoff against his extreme right challenger Flavío Bolsonaro has brought oceans of rapturous supporters on to the streets, while also thrilling conservationists, climate activists and social justice campaigners across the world.

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© Photograph: Andre Coelho/EPA

© Photograph: Andre Coelho/EPA

© Photograph: Andre Coelho/EPA

The trouncing of the far right provides a playbook for social and environmental movements in other countries facing elections, including the US, Spain and France

Thank you, Brazil, for demonstrating how the far right can be trounced while protection for the Amazon is strengthened. In a world where nature and democracy appeared to be bleeding out in tandem, voters and forest defenders in this global south powerhouse have shown it is possible to staunch the flow. This should provide much needed inspiration and, more practically, a playbook for social and environmental movements in other countries facing elections, including the US, Spain and France.

The astonishing comeback victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Sunday’s presidential runoff against his extreme right challenger Flavío Bolsonaro has brought oceans of rapturous supporters on to the streets, while also thrilling conservationists, climate activists and social justice campaigners across the world.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Andre Coelho/EPA

© Photograph: Andre Coelho/EPA

© Photograph: Andre Coelho/EPA

President Trump ensured Flávio Bolsonaro, who lost a presidential election in Brazil and faces multiple criminal investigations there, could enter the United States, U.S. officials said.

© Ricardo Arduengo/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

The far-right candidate was supposed to claim the presidency, but Brazilian voters had other ideas

For Donald Trump, Brazil’s presidential election was meant to represent the crest of the “orange wave” – a three-year surge of rightwing triumphs that has reshaped Latin American politics in the US president’s tangerine-hued image.

The far-right candidate, Flávio Bolsonaro, was supposed to claim the presidency on Sunday, bringing the region’s biggest democracy and economy into Trump’s orbit, after similar victories in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador and Peru – not to mention the capture of Venezuela’s government after the country was invaded in January.

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© Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

© Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

© Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

With street talk and tactics from the far-right’s playbook, André Janones used a WhatsApp channel to help organize millions of Brazilians online.

© Victor Moriyama for The New York Times

Another member of Brazil's Bolsonaro family has found haven from possible prosecution by fleeing to the U.S., where they have an ally in President Trump. Just three days after losing Brazil's presidential election, Flávio Bolsonaro, who faces multiple criminal investigations, defied a Brazilian court and left the country. Stephanie Sy discussed more with Brian Winter of America's Quarterly.

The stunning move came after 48 hours in which Bolsonaro refused to concede to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and then threatened to attempt to annul the election result. He is under investigation by Brazil's Supreme Court for alleged corruption, money laundering and tax evasion in two cases.

Mr. Bolsonaro, who lost Sunday’s presidential election, fled Brazil for the United States via Argentina after the police canceled his passport in relation to an investigation.

© Eva Marie Uzcategui/Reuters

Far-right senator and family land in US after crossing from Brazil into Argentina and then flying via Ecuador

Flávio Bolsonaro declared himself the “true president” of Brazil after losing last Sunday’s presidential election and fleeing to the United States.

After landing on a private jet with his family in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday morning, the far-right senator published the claim in a letter – even though his own party has recognised the legitimate victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, as have all of Brazil’s institutions, and international observers who monitored and endorsed the vote.

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© Photograph: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images

Far-right senator and family land in US after crossing from Brazil into Argentina and then flying via Ecuador

Flávio Bolsonaro declared himself the “true president” of Brazil after losing last Sunday’s presidential election and fleeing to the United States.

After landing on a private jet with his family in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday morning, the far-right senator published the claim in a letter – even though his own party has recognised the legitimate victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, as have all of Brazil’s institutions, and international observers who monitored and endorsed the vote.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images

Plus, robot-dog walkers wanted: $20 an hour.

© Adriano Machado/Reuters

Officials in Argentina said Mr. Bolsonaro entered the country by land then flew to Ecuador. Brazilian police had asked him to hand over his passports because of his links to an investigation.

© Pablo Porciuncula/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A senior State Department official said Tuesday that Flávio Bolsonaro and his family will be granted U.S. visas after his weekend loss to incumbent Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a hotly contested race that bucked a trend of conservative electoral results in Latin America.

Far-right senator and his family boarded private plane to Ecuador after crossing border to Argentina, Argentina’s government confirms

The far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro has reportedly fled Brazil and is on his way to the United States after losing Sunday’s presidential election to the leftwing incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who called the act “shameful”.

A report by the news website Metrópoles, citing people close to the politician’s family, said he was en route to the US. “The plane is in flight,” Metrópoles reported, without making clear where it had departed from.

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© Photograph: Lucas Neves/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Lucas Neves/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Lucas Neves/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

Brazil’s Supreme Court told the police to seize passport of Mr. Bolsonaro, who lost the presidential election, over his links to an investigation.

© Pablo Porciuncula/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images