The Role of Bots in the Disinformation Process in Brazilian Politics between 2014 and 2018

This paper presents the participation of bots in the process of disinformation in the Brazilian political/electoral scenario between 2014 and 2018. The justification for this research was the growth of ideological polarization and the emergence of hate speech linked to political positioning that culminated in a massive campaign of disinformation, evidenced by fake news and other forms of manipulation. In this research multiple case studies were used referring to three moments: the 2014 elections, the 2016 impeachment and the 2018 election. We found studies investigating these events, and they were used as data sources for analysis of the conjuncture and the interpretation of these facts in a chronological perspective pointed toward the role of bots and the results of such actions. It has been observed that the use of bots has occurred since 2014; however, they were only engaged in propagating false content from 2015. The automation of the messages was sophisticated between 2014 and 2018, when bots ceased to be players who replicated posts indiscriminately (spam) to become users’ catalysts with the intention of creating or expanding new bubbles of disinformation. Finally, we observed that the same botnet active in Brazil was also involved in electoral processes around the world, making Brazil simply one more piece in this grand network of disinformation where who is involved and what their purpose might be is not known.

O CAMINHO BRASILEIRO PARA O FASCISMO

<p>O artigo analisa a natureza do governo Bolsonaro, da sua base social de apoio mais ativa e da crise política que lhe deu origem. Polemiza com a bibliografia clássica e atual sobre o fascismo e, operando com um conceito de fascismo inserido na tradição marxista, caracteriza o governo e sua base social como (neo)fascistas. Sustenta a necessidade de construir uma tipologia das crises políticas nas sociedades capitalistas e procura mostrar que a natureza e a dinâmica da crise política brasileira de 2015-2018 são típicas da crise política que dá origem ao fascismo. Insere o bolsonarismo no contexto da democracia ainda existente no Brasil, que caracteriza como uma democracia burguesa em crise.</p><p><strong>THE BRAZILIAN PATH TO FASCISM</strong><br /><br />The article analyzes the nature of the Bolsonaro Government, its most active social base of support, and the political crisis that gave rise to it. It polemizes with the classical and current bibliography on fascism and, operating with a concept of fascism embedded in the Marxist tradition, characterizes the government and its social base as (neo)fascists. It argues for the need to develop a typology of political crises in capitalist societies, showing that the nature and dynamics of the 2015-2018 Brazilian political crisis are typical of the political crisis that gives rise to fascism. Finally, it places bolsonarismo in the context of the democracy still existing in Brazil, which it characterizes as a bourgeois democracy in crisis.</p><p>Keywords: Brazilian Politics. Bolsonaro Government.Neo-fascism. Political Crisis.</p><p><strong>LE CHEMIN BRÉSILIEN VERS LE FACISME</strong></p><p>L’article analyse la nature du gouvernement Bolsonaro, sa base sociale de soutien la plus active et la crise politique qui les a engendrés. Il polémique avec la bibliographie classique et actuelle sur le fascisme et, opérant avec un concept de fascisme ancré dans la tradition marxiste, caractérise le gouvernement et sa base sociale comme (néo) fascistes. Il soutient le besoin de développer une typologie des crises politiques dans les sociétés capitalistes et entend montrer que la nature at dynamique de la crise politique brésilienne de 2015-2018 sont typiques de celle qui donne naissance au fascisme. Il place le bolsonarisme dans le contexte de la démocratie existant encore au Brésil, qu’il caractérise comme une démocratie bourgeoise en crise.</p><p>Mots-clés: Politique Brésilienne. Gouvernement Bolsonaro. Néofascisme. Crise Politique.</p>

O Protagonismo do PMDB na Política Brasileira: Uma Análise Comparativa das Eleições de 1994 a 2018

With the promulgation of a new Federal Constitution in 1988, the Brazilian political-institutional arrangement was established based on a process of reconstructing representative democracy. With this change, the present work sought to analyze the role of PMDB in Brazilian politics during the electoral period of 1994 and 2018. PMDB was the pivotal party in the process of redemocratization in Brazil, as well as the greatest ally to have been sought by the government in studied period. However, due to its characterization as a center party and lack of an ideology consistent with the current demands of the population, the PMDB lost a significant space within the Brazilian Legislative, being neither part of the allied base nor of the opposition of the current Bolsonaro government, making with its protagonism in check.

Liberal politician, interventionist policymaker: Oswaldo Aranha’s Economic Thought

Oswaldo Aranha was one of the most famous and prestigious Brazilian politicians of the 20th century. Known for presiding the UN session when the State of Israel was created, Aranha had an important role in Brazilian politics during the first half of the century. Even though he held a bachelor’s degree in Law, Aranha had to deal with various economic issues along his political career. This paper aims to analyze his economic ideas, arguing that despite his liberal influences, he became an interventionist policymaker in Getúlio Vargas’s administrations. We argue that his experience as the Brazilian Ambassador in Washington played a central role in the changes of his ideological positions and economic ideas

Lula’s ‘return’ will upend Brazilian politics

Significance This paves the way for the 75-year-old centre-left leader to run against his nemesis, far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who will seek a second term. Impacts A Lula candidacy would see a sharply polarised contest between two controversial candidates with high disapproval ratings. Bolsonaro’s greatest electoral hope would be an economic rebound ahead of the vote. The outlook for future measures to combat corruption looks increasingly dubious.

Collectivizing political mandates: A discursive approach to the Brazilian Bancada Ativista’s campaign in the 2018 elections

This article analyses the political campaign of the rather under-researched Bancada Ativista, a prefigurative progressive experience comprised of nine co-candidates running for a single seat in the State Chamber of Sao Paulo during the 2018 Brazilian elections. The political experience brought about by the Bancada Ativista stands as a prolific effort in its aim to transform legislative action, responding to the challenges posed by the contemporary crisis of representative democracy. By taking the Essex School’s discourse theory standpoint, this article critically explores the discursive composition of the Bancada’s political campaign and the significance of its electoral success in light of crisis-driven Brazilian politics.

6. Democratic development or decay?

‘Democratic development or decay?’ studies Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva’s election as Brazil’s president in 2002, which demonstrated the resilience of Brazilian democracy. Lula’s election began a thirteen-and-a-half-year period when politicians from the Workers’ Party controlled the presidency. The contested history of these years explains much of the current polarization in Brazilian politics between a new ideological right and the left. The chapter then describes Brazil’s political system and examines the accomplishments and failures of the Workers’ Party in power. It also considers the political crisis that began in 2013 and contributed to the election of Jair Bolsonaro in 2018.