By Andrew Hammond
Brazil went to the polls on Oct. 1, with Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva besting Jair Bolsonaro in the first-round contest for the presidency. Yet, it was more than the presidential candidates on the ballot in what are the nation's most important elections this month since the restoration of democracy in the 1980s.
The election offers Brazil, as a nation, the opportunity to restore international trust and enter a new political era if Lula eventually wins the process in the second round. Bolsonaro ― sometimes known as the "Tropical Trump" ― has been a key part of the populism phenomenon sweeping the world.
A former aide to Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, said recently that "Bolsonaro is a great hero for all of us … as someone that has stood for sovereignty and really grassroots."
While populism in South America tends to be of the left-of-center variety, what has been unusual about Bolsonaro's period of rule is that he has been stridently right-wing. Additionally, he has brought in policies that have shocked global opinion such as the intensification of deforestation in the Amazon.
He has also challenged the power of countervailing institutions, including the Supreme Court and Congress. Moreover, Bolsonaro has repeated accusations of electoral fraud, yet Brazil has had electronic voting machines since 1996, and no systematic fraud has ever been recorded.
So there is a growing sense that the election, should Lula emerge victorious this month, could begin the path toward rebuilding Brazil's damaged democratic institutions. Brazil is badly in need of a brand makeover and the 2022 elections could enable this.
Lula has highlighted that a key goal for him is to forge a vision of Brazil to the world again of a modern, vibrant democracy and stable emerging market that is a prime destination for future investment and tourism. He has also, therefore, asserted that Brazil "can be a great country" after a troubled time of economic challenges, the health emergency of the pandemic, and political turmoil to boot.
For the difficult situation that Brazil finds itself in represents a dramatic change from the country of a decade ago when it was seen as an emerging democracy rising in global importance. Then, extreme poverty had been reduced through innovative welfare programs and the nation's diplomatic influence expanded across the world, including via membership in the BRICS, referring to Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Two major questions arise from the potential pivot point that Brazil now finds itself in. Firstly, can a country's reputation be enhanced in the same way as a corporate (or other organizations) might do? And, secondly, can this have a significant, sustainable national social and economic impact?
On the first issue, competition for the attention of stakeholders like investors and tourists is intensifying, and national reputation can therefore be a prized asset or a big liability, with a direct effect on future political, economic, and social fortunes.
Boosting a country's reputation is therefore an ever-common ambition in what is an overcrowded global information marketplace, and a number of countries have successfully used key elections to rejuvenate themselves, including Spain after its transition to democracy after the Franco dictatorship.
Yet, the simple fact is that many nations fail to fully capitalize, reputationally or economically, upon such major political moments.
To maximize prospects of Brazil benefiting, reputationally, in the midst of the country's current malaise, it must pursue a concerted reputation and economic strategy that aligns all key national stakeholders around a single, coherent vision for its country brand. So this exercise should not just be the preserve of government but must involve the private and third sectors too.
A key part of this must be connecting the end of Bolsonaro's rule, if indeed that is what happens at the election, to a wider story that showcases Brazil's strengths so as to increase favorability of international perceptions of the country, politically, economically and socially.
Major positives here include the fact that the country is a vibrant, diverse, multicultural state that has the potential to kick off its longstanding tag as a "sleeping giant" to become a regional superpower fueled by its status as one of the world's largest countries by area and population.
Brazilian decision-makers would do well to act on this fast as they seek to capitalize upon the opportunities on the horizon. In the midst of the hurly-burly of the next few days and weeks, the long-term opportunities of the election should not be sidelined.
For, in the midst of its current troubles, the nation now has a significant opportunity to use this latest democratic moment for a positive brand makeover that could produce a lasting legacy for the country.
Andrew Hammond (andrewkorea@outlook.com) is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.
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The election offers Brazil, as a nation, the opportunity to restore international trust and enter a new political era if Lula eventually wins the process in the second round. Bolsonaro ― sometimes known as the "Tropical Trump" ― has been a key part of the populism phenomenon sweeping the world.
A former aide to Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, said recently that "Bolsonaro is a great hero for all of us … as someone that has stood for sovereignty and really grassroots."
While populism in South America tends to be of the left-of-center variety, what has been unusual about Bolsonaro's period of rule is that he has been stridently right-wing. Additionally, he has brought in policies that have shocked global opinion such as the intensification of deforestation in the Amazon.
He has also challenged the power of countervailing institutions, including the Supreme Court and Congress. Moreover, Bolsonaro has repeated accusations of electoral fraud, yet Brazil has had electronic voting machines since 1996, and no systematic fraud has ever been recorded.
So there is a growing sense that the election, should Lula emerge victorious this month, could begin the path toward rebuilding Brazil's damaged democratic institutions. Brazil is badly in need of a brand makeover and the 2022 elections could enable this.
Lula has highlighted that a key goal for him is to forge a vision of Brazil to the world again of a modern, vibrant democracy and stable emerging market that is a prime destination for future investment and tourism. He has also, therefore, asserted that Brazil "can be a great country" after a troubled time of economic challenges, the health emergency of the pandemic, and political turmoil to boot.
For the difficult situation that Brazil finds itself in represents a dramatic change from the country of a decade ago when it was seen as an emerging democracy rising in global importance. Then, extreme poverty had been reduced through innovative welfare programs and the nation's diplomatic influence expanded across the world, including via membership in the BRICS, referring to Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Two major questions arise from the potential pivot point that Brazil now finds itself in. Firstly, can a country's reputation be enhanced in the same way as a corporate (or other organizations) might do? And, secondly, can this have a significant, sustainable national social and economic impact?
On the first issue, competition for the attention of stakeholders like investors and tourists is intensifying, and national reputation can therefore be a prized asset or a big liability, with a direct effect on future political, economic, and social fortunes.
Boosting a country's reputation is therefore an ever-common ambition in what is an overcrowded global information marketplace, and a number of countries have successfully used key elections to rejuvenate themselves, including Spain after its transition to democracy after the Franco dictatorship.
Yet, the simple fact is that many nations fail to fully capitalize, reputationally or economically, upon such major political moments.
To maximize prospects of Brazil benefiting, reputationally, in the midst of the country's current malaise, it must pursue a concerted reputation and economic strategy that aligns all key national stakeholders around a single, coherent vision for its country brand. So this exercise should not just be the preserve of government but must involve the private and third sectors too.
A key part of this must be connecting the end of Bolsonaro's rule, if indeed that is what happens at the election, to a wider story that showcases Brazil's strengths so as to increase favorability of international perceptions of the country, politically, economically and socially.
Major positives here include the fact that the country is a vibrant, diverse, multicultural state that has the potential to kick off its longstanding tag as a "sleeping giant" to become a regional superpower fueled by its status as one of the world's largest countries by area and population.
Brazilian decision-makers would do well to act on this fast as they seek to capitalize upon the opportunities on the horizon. In the midst of the hurly-burly of the next few days and weeks, the long-term opportunities of the election should not be sidelined.
For, in the midst of its current troubles, the nation now has a significant opportunity to use this latest democratic moment for a positive brand makeover that could produce a lasting legacy for the country.
Andrew Hammond (andrewkorea@outlook.com) is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.
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