International Constellations of the Populist Radical-Right: An Analysis of Jair Bolsonaro’s International Speeches (2019–2020)

Abstract

While, in theory, the populist radical right ideology is hostile to international cooperation and sees International Relations as a zero-sum game, leaders from this camp have supported each other and adopted common elements in their anti-globalization and ultraconservative discourse across the globe. This chapter aims to analyze and discuss how Jair Bolsonaro, a populist radical right leader, engaged in populism primarily through international discourses that go beyond regional particularities, combining Christianism, conservatism (through the idea of “traditional family”), and heteronormativity elements to create a common narrative that resonates among those disgruntled who feel betrayed and left behind. His construction of “people” follows a transnational idea of “us,” which encompasses those who share and identify with the same principles as him. The enemy, in turn, is treated as an overarching threat that expands beyond Brazil and targets other allied countries. This chapter presents a case study of the current Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro, applying a mixed man-machine content analysis method to classify his official speeches during his first two years as president. The study distinguishes between national and international discourses, focusing primarily on his international speeches and looking at how different elements come together under a single umbrella of populism, fueled with ‘culture war’ and authoritarian elements.