Brazil’s governors have been emboldened under Jair Bolsonaro
But their attempts to move into national politics have worked less well
João doria, who until April was the governor of São Paulo, Brazil’s richest state, is a colourful character. He hosted a Brazilian version of “The Apprentice”, while a sex tape featuring someone who looks like him went viral. But during the primaries last year to become a centre-right party’s presidential candidate, he opted for tameness. “João Doria is boring, but competent,” his campaign video declared. His team hoped it would distinguish him from the two, divisive frontrunners for the election in October: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a leftist former president, and Jair Bolsonaro, the populist incumbent. It did not work. Mr Doria (pictured) secured the nomination, but struggled to attract broader support. When he dropped out of the race in May he was polling at 2%.
This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “Federal offence”
From the August 27th 2022 edition
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