“The cancer of Brazil is corruption... democracy is solid rock”, outgoing US ambassador
[Image description: Todd Chapman.]
Outgoing United States ambassador before Brazil, Todd Chapman said in an interview with O Estado de Sao Paulo that the threat of not holding elections in 2022, as expressed by some top officials from the president Jair Bolsonaro administration is not a serious problem. “Democracy is a solid rock in Brazil, the cancer is corruption”.
Ambassador Chapman who is completing a round of visits and contacts before he retires from the US diplomatic service downplayed any chances of a coup in Brazil, “For us, democracy is nonnegotiable, and Brazil is a super democratic country. All those who have forecasted the end of democracy in Brazil, have erred always”.
President Bolsonaro is against the electronic voting machines and wants a return to the traditional paper ballots arguing they can facilitates electoral fraud and suggested cancelling elections if he doesn't get his way. But his minister of defense Army General Braga Netto was more direct and openly discarded holding elections next year. However this sparked a barrage of criticisms from the political system, media and social organizations.
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