Welcome to Bolsonaro’s parallel galaxy on Facebook

SAINT PAUL.- The Jair Messias Bolsonaro more authentic appears every Thursday on mobile phones and screens. At seven in the afternoon, the Weekly Facebook Live of the President of Brazil. Every seven days, the cast changes, but the setting, the script and the tone vary little in the summary cut to the measure of the most ultra bolsonaristas. Two indigenous peoples, whom he presented as “Indian brothers”, accompanied him this week as a living example of what is driving his most controversial legislative project for the Amazon. In shirts and pants, the two guests offered the image of the native that Bolsonaro loves, assimilated, nothing to do with the colorful headdresses and daily body decorations in many villages.

The president came to say that, In order to thrive, indigenous peoples must be able to farm on a large scale, stake, mine for gold, diamonds, or build hydroelectric power stations on their lands. if they decide to (it is now illegal). We were talking about social and economic development, but no word on the ecological value of these lands, which include the Amazon, biodiversity or the climate crisis.

The problem that was making the headlines at the time –the coronavirus has already killed 400,000 Brazilians– was mentioned in passing during the broadcast hour of the Planalto Palace, in Brasilia. All, no masks or safety distance.

It’s a kind of hello, president à la Bolsonaro. Version 2.0 of the format invented by another leftist populist, the Venezuelan Hugo chavez. It is the parallel galaxy that the Brazilian far right has created to communicate directly, now from the top of political power, with those who remain by its side despite the pandemic, inflation, unemployment or scandals: a third of the world electorate, according to polls.

More … than 20 million network subscribers, brings together a large audience in this country of 210 million inhabitants. Nearly a million internet users watched the latest live broadcast, which topped 93,000 comments. The multiplier power of Facebook or WhatsApp was crucial in their surprising electoral victory in 2018 in this country without public television, where the Globo network dominates television with immense media power.

The format is always the same. Bolsonaro seated behind a table with a sign interpreter to his left (often the only woman on the plane as the government is almost entirely male) and to his right, one or two ministers or senior officials whom he asks as if they were following the lesson. Sometimes he announces government measures such as the Bolsa Familia Christmas bonus, which millions of poor people receive..

This Thursday, it was the turn of the president of the Fundación del Indio (Funai), Marcelo Xavier da Silva, police commissioner. Together they bombed the defense of the bill that aims to allow mining on indigenous lands with the argument that it cannot be that the million indigenous people live in misery on lands of fabulous wealth. With them, the natives Arnaldo, of a Peer ethnic group, and Joselio, a Surucú. The first was fluent in Portuguese until Bolsonaro interrupted him: “Hey, say something in your language.”

Like any populist, Bolsonaro needs enemies to keep the ranks tight. Those of this Thursday were Europe, which he presented as lip service to the indigenous peoples, but oblivious to their miseries, the NGOs, a press that he accuses of misinforming …, the Social Democratic Party, “the candidate who has just found his political rights ”, referring to Lula da Silva. And with his views on the 2022 presidential elections, he has stirred up the specter of electoral fraud. He bragged about the government’s actions and said one of his favorite phrases: “My name is Messias but I do not work miracles”.

The two most burning issues in the mainstream press appeared only fleetingly. To the victims of Covid-19, Bolsonaro devoted a few words: “We regret the dead, he has reached a huge number” followed by a plea: “I pray to God that there is no third wave.” And about the parliamentary commission of inquiry which will analyze from next Tuesday the actions and omissions of his government in this health crisis, he said: “We are continuing at full steam, we are not at all afraid with this commission”. Then he announced the inauguration of one of these eternal works.

Since he discovered the vein of communicating with the people without intermediaries, Bolsonaro has embraced it with fervor. Live FBs are now the comfort zone of this president who does not give press conferences, offers few opportunities to be approached directly by the press and only grants interviews to like-minded journalists. It’s your bubble, where nobody questions or criticizes you. Direct questions include questions via a cell phone that a military brings to him, but they are not from town, but from reporters on a friendly radio show.

Brazil just fell to 111th place out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders annual ranking. RSF maintains that “the toxic context in which Brazilian press professionals work” is mainly the president’s fault. “Insults, stigma and public humiliations orchestrated against journalists have become the hallmark of President Bolsonaro, his family and those around him.”RSF adds.

During presidential live shows, Internet users comment. Between spirits, praise and fiery blessings, undemocratic demands like that of Rubanubio Pereira Silva: “President, we are waiting for a military intervention with you on the front line.

In this network addicted country, many moments have gone viral. Two of the most controversial: he and his foreign minister, a Trumpista, drink a glass of milk in a gesture interpreted by internet users as a nod to white supremacists. And on the day Brazil passed 55,000 Covid deaths, the director of a public company performed the Ave Maria accordion in tribute to the victims with the president of “The little flu”, the Minister of the Economy and the interpreter of the signs. For the 400,000 dead, there was no homage. © El País, SL

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