Neoliberalism and Gender-Based Political Violence in Brazilian Democratic Disputes

In Brazil, since 2013, the struggle between women’s rights and the defence of the patriarchal family has intensified. This struggle follows years of achievements towards gender equality. In 2016, a parliamentary-legal-media coup ousted Brazil’s first woman president, paving the way for a series of neoliberal reforms. The election of far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro as president solidified the process. This regressive slide was partially halted in 2022 on Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s election to the presidency. Amongst disputes and setbacks, Brazil presents a unique scenario for analysing the liberal democracy crisis and the rise to institutional power of the far right. In this article, we reflect on the dynamics of regression, specifically in relation to gender-based political violence and attacks on minorities. The reflection is based on media articles and the results of recent surveys on election results.