The former president Bolsonaro appeared on the cover of one of the most influential Western magazines this week, The Economist. The magazine called Bolsonaro "the tropical Trump" and described his trial as "a lesson in democracy."

The Economist was published on the 28th, focusing on the alleged coup trial of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF), and considered that "Brazil is providing a lesson in mature democracy to the United States." It described the attack on the U.S. Capitol in 2021 as "a strange and brutal coup attempt," and compared the political situations of both countries by contrasting it with the attack on government facilities in Brazil in 2023. The cover featured a photo of Bolsonaro wearing a bison horn hat with the Brazilian flag painted on his face, becoming a symbol of the U.S. Capitol attack.

This work reminds me of Jack Angel, known as the "Bison Man" during the U.S. Capitol attack. His real name is Jacob Cansler. He was a supporter of Trump who stormed the Capitol on January 21st, taking symbolic actions such as sitting on the speaker's chair of the Senate. He was later sentenced to 41 months in prison and placed in solitary confinement, and was released on January 25th due to a presidential pardon from Trump. After the pardon, he immediately posted on social media, "I was pardoned, baby, now I'm going to buy weapons," causing concerns about the resurgence of far-right groups and political violence.

The article states, "The two countries seem to be swapping roles," "The United States is becoming more corrupt, protectionist, and authoritarian. Trump intervened in the Federal Reserve this week, threatened cities controlled by Democrats, but Brazil is setting an example, saying 'Even if the Trump administration punishes us, we are determined to prosecute Bolsonaro and protect and strengthen democracy.'

Bolsonaro is scheduled to start his trial on September 2nd next week, as the "core" of the coup charges against eight defendants including himself.

The Economist magazine commented, "The evidence resembles Brazil's past turbulence," and explained that "a four-star general conspired to overturn election results, and an assassin tried to kill the real winner." Mr. Bolsonaro and his allies will be convicted, he said, pointing out the severity of the case and the direction of judicial decisions.

The magazine believes that the memory of Brazil's military rule is still vivid, and the strength of the federal constitution supports Brazil's democratic resistance. "Moreover, the majority of the public clearly understand Mr. Bolsonaro's actions, and many believe he tried to carry out a military action to maintain power," it said.

Supreme Federal Court judge Alexandre de Moraes has been subjected to measures to revoke his U.S. visa as part of sanctions under the Magnitsky Act, which is an diplomatic obstacle for Brazil. However, the magazine analyzed that "Trump's intervention is likely to backfire on his own legs." Among Brazil's export products, only 13% are shipped to the United States, most of which are commodities that can be transferred to other markets. Trump's attacks will only increase Lula's support and give him an excuse to justify possible economic deterioration before the next presidential election on October 26th. Finally, the magazine concluded, "Brazil is a test for a country aiming to recover from populist frenzy."

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841834444364812/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.