Bolsonaro ran against corruption. Now, he'll have to find another slogan.
Bolsonaro ran against corruption. Now, he’ll have to find another slogan.
By
Terrence McCoy
November 21, 2020 at 5:00 a.m. CST
RIO DE JANEIRO — It was a moment when, after so many scandals and broken promises, Brazil finally seemed on cusp of change.
The sprawling corruption probe known as Lava Jato had ensnared scores of politicians in Brazil and abroad, upending the Latin American power structure. The election of Jair Bolsonaro brought to power an outsider politician who promised to root out corruption. And for his justice minister, he named the anti-corruption judge who became a Brazilian hero leading the investigation.
Two years later, that minister, Sérgio Moro, is out of government. The corruption investigation is on life support. The coronavirus response has turned into a graft bonanza. And the president, who is himself being investigated by the supreme court for alleged misconduct, is declaring that public malfeasance is no longer an issue.
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The gap between the promise and the reality was made stark this month when Bolsonaro’s son Flávio, a senator, was charged with embezzlement and money laundering. Rio de Janeiro prosecutors allege that he took public money meant to pay legislative aides when he served in the state assembly. Another son, Carlos, a Rio city council member, has been accused of similar behavior. (Both have denied wrongdoing.)
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Corruption had never been central to his political messaging. He’d been far more concerned with hailing Brazil’s military dictatorship, taking umbrage with leftist social policies and making comments that shocked and offended. But as the campaign accelerated, he echoed the calls to do away with corruption — and found an audience.
More:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/brazil-bolsonaro-corruption-sergio-moro/2020/11/20/dfd4e9f0-282e-11eb-92b7-6ef17b3fe3b4_story.html