BRAZIL: Anti-Gay Extremist Likely To Become President

The New York Times reports:

A far-right candidate who has spoken fondly of Brazil’s onetime military dictatorship came close to an outright victory in the country’s presidential election on Sunday, as Brazilians expressed disgust with politics as usual and endorsed an iron-fisted approach to fighting crime and corruption.

Voters delivered a first-round victory to Jair Bolsonaro, who had stunned the political establishment by rising to the top of a crowded presidential field despite a long history of offensive remarks about women, blacks and gays.

With 99.9 percent of votes tallied, Mr. Bolsonaro had 46 percent of the vote; he needed 50 percent to avoid a runoff. His nearest rival finished far behind, with 29 percent.

The Washington Post reports:

Many of Bolsonaro’s core backers are also huge fans of Trump — a leader with whom Bolsonaro shares striking parallels.

Bolsonaro is a tough talker whose strongest followers include white men who feel left behind by economic and social change. He champions “traditional values” but has been married three times. He reaches out to his legions of followers via social media.

Bolsonaro’s backers in far-right movements have cheered on his infamous political incorrectness for years. He once said a gay son was the product of not enough “beatings” and told a female rival she was not worth raping because she was “too ugly.”