Full Breakdown
Brazil’s Election Runoff Revives Fears Over Bolsonaro Legacy
By Drooid · · How we work
Bolsonaro’s Presidency and Its Environmental Toll
Jair Bolsonaro’s four-year term (2019-2022) saw the highest Amazon deforestation of any recent administration, with roughly 45,000 sq km (17,400 sq mi) of forest lost—equivalent to over a million trees per day. His handling of the Covid-19 pandemic was described as mismanaged, contributing to more than 704,000 deaths, the world’s second-highest toll after the United States. Bolsonaro’s rhetoric framed the Amazon as “Brazil’s, not yours,” a stance that was widely circulated after a press-conference exchange with journalist Dom Phillips.
Dom Phillips’ Warnings and Their Aftermath
On 12 October 2018, he wrote that the climate was “chilling” and that hostility toward journalists was rising. Over the following years, he documented the spread of misinformation, attacks on environmental groups, and a bill proposed by Bolsonaro’s son Flávio to eliminate legal reserves protecting the rainforest. Phillips was murdered on 5 May 2022 near the Javari Valley while researching a book on Amazon conservation; his death was linked to a fisherman who resented enforcement of indigenous-territory protections.
Election Runoff Raises Stakes
A presidential runoff scheduled for this Sunday pits incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president’s son. Polls show Flávio narrowly ahead, though within the margin of error. His platform includes pledging to free Jair Bolsonaro from prison and appoint him to a government role if elected. The prospect of a second Bolsonaro-family administration has revived concerns about renewed threats to journalists, increased deforestation, and broader environmental degradation.
Data Highlights
- Deforestation loss (2019-2022): ? 45,000 sq km.
- Covid-19 deaths attributed to Bolsonaro’s response: > 704,000.
- Recent government announcement: record-low deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado under Lula’s current term.
Official Responses
The current administration has emphasized stronger enforcement actions that have led to the reported decline in deforestation. Bolsonaro, meanwhile, has maintained that the Amazon belongs to Brazil and has faced a criminal conviction for attempting a military coup to overturn election results.