Abstract
The Brazilian far-right president Jair Bolsonaro adopts populist rhetoric as his primary communication strategy. He presents himself as an outsider, an anti-establishment politician who embodies the abstract idea of “new politics”. Like Donald Trump, Bolsonaro’s preferred communication channel is social media, which he uses to establish an emotional relationship with his support base. Relying extensively on “fake news,” his 2018 campaign capitalized on a growing anti-corruption and anti-criminality sentiment extended throughout the Brazilian society. Once in power, the newly-elected Brazilian president built an ultra-conservative alliance with religious groups, ruralists, and the arms industry, among other fractions of the elite. Against this backdrop, Bolsonaro developed a conflictive relationship with the mainstream media. This study analyzes Bolsonaro’s communication style and his political and economic agenda, pointing out its limitations and how it represents a significant threat to democracy and social justice.
Presenters
Gabriel S HulandTeaching Fellow, Centre for the Global Media and Communications, SOAS University of London, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Bolsonaro, Fake News, Far-Right, Political Communication
