A wake-up call: The countdown for Latin American democracy — Opinion
The first round of the Brazilian elections revealed a painful contradiction for anyone who fights for equality, social justice, and basic rights.
Throughout this year, we watched a historic mobilisation in Brazilian streets and media of women's and labourers' movements. Civil society groups and movements, such as Levante Mulheres Vivas ( Living Women Rise ) and the movement for Vida Além do Trabalho ( Life Beyond Work) brought crucial issues to the centre of public debate.
They fought for the end of the exhausting six-day workweek, greater female representation in politics, guaranteed rights, and an end to gender violence. Through petitions, protests, and debates, they broke through the social media bubble to demand better quality of life, dignity at work, and an end to femicide and misogyny.
Despite conservative resistance, these movements made their voices heard. Yet, looking at the ballot box, a disturbing contradiction remains: Despite so much mobilisation for life and dignity, things turned out this way?
Unfortunately, this civic strength clashed with the reality of election night. The results for the National Congress showed a strong shift toward the far right, swallowing the traditional right. While the left slightly increased its seats, the new Congress is dominated by an ultra-conservative agenda.
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The most shocking contradiction was realising that, while many expected women to be the final defence against regression, a significant part of female voters actually chose candidates whose agendas dismantle women’s rights. Figures elected who flirt with ideas like ending historical achievements, even women's right to vote, aligned with USA movements of tradwives and who minimise or deny femicide.
This scenario reminds me of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt’s book, How Democracies Die, where the authors warn that modern democratic regression rarely happens through dramatic military coups or sudden ruptures. Instead, "democracies die slowly, at the hands of elected leaders who subvert the very institutional process that brought them to power."
When Latin American governments turn away from democratic institutions and hand the state over to extremist interests, the continent's democratic base is destroyed from within. It starts a true countdown for republican values, all part of an alarming global trend.
So, what can we expect from Sunday's ballot box? This second round demanded an urgent, strategic realignment from democratic movements. With political representation facing a setback and deep social divisions exposed, civil society has taken action to engage in dialogue and persuade people in the streets and online.
We’ve seen an incredible mobilisation, driven online by figures like Congressman Janones, and in the streets by pop artist fan clubs ( fandoms ) and students from the north to the south side of Brazil. The real danger isn't just the victory of candidate A or B, but the normalisation of a political culture that accepts hate speech, gender violence and authoritarianism, something we’ve unfortunately seen before in world history, including Brazil.
The ballot box has given us its warning. Now, we have to decide if we will let this erosion of democracy become permanent and if Brazil, being the largest country in Latin America, will surrender to Trump-style winds or make history by showing its last strengths as a sovereign country. The countdown for the democratic world we know is ticking.
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The opinions and thoughts expressed in this article reflect only the author's views.
Vera Cambiatti holds a Bachelor's degree in Translation and Interpretation from Universidade Metodista de São Paulo, a Teaching Degree in Portuguese and English from Fundação Santo André, and a degree in Pedagogy from Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. She has a postgraduate degree in English Language Teaching, an MBA in School Management from USP, international certifications from Cambridge and Bridge Education, plus extensions in Blended Learning and Anti-Racist Education. Currently, she is pursuing a postgraduate degree in Politics and International Relations at FAAP and serves as a volunteer Public Policy Strategist for the Instituto Levante Mulheres Vivas.
