A police officer with an axe in the Macaco favela of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during a mission against a criminal gang. Image: Humberto Ohana/PA Images, All Rights Reserved.
The future of democracy in Brazil is in the hands of an emotionally charged decision. Above all, it will be an emotional state of mind that will determine the results of the elections this month. Brazilians that find themselves stuck between shame, fear, and disappointment, will find their ability to make decisions negatively affected, making the possibility of voting with reason increasingly less likely.
For some time now international politics has shifted towards the emotional, leaving to one side reasonable and rational arguments. Throughout this process populism has arisen, associating itself with both left and right and leading politics towards a space in which the old battles between liberals and conservatives have broken down. Polarisation, misinformation, and anti-establishment principles are increasingly present, and positions of power are being filled by those who preach these values.
