*By Carlo Versano* He's known as the "Trump of the Tropics." Brazil's new president, Jair Bolsonaro, may grab headlines for his far-right, populist rhetoric and positions ー he's staunchly anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-affirmative action, and anti-drug decriminalization ーbut he differs from President Trump in one major respect, which is currently on display at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Bolsonaro wants to form closer economic ties with the developed world, as he made clear in a speech to the global elite gathered in the snowy Swiss enclave. “We represent a turning point in the eyes of the Brazilian people — a turning point in which ideological bias will no longer take place,” he told attendees on Tuesday. Vanessa Neumann, the founder of the risk consultancy firm Asymmetrica and author of the book "Blood Profits," told Cheddar that Bolsonaro is at Davos in an attempt to shed his global image as a populist bomb thrower by making clear that the Brazilian economy, the world's ninth largest, is open for business and investment from the outside world. "He's talking that talk to investors," Neumann said. Bolsonaro is "the unintended winner" in the ongoing U.S.-China trade war, she noted, as Brazil is a major producer of consumer staples that range from soybeans to beef to oil ー commodities that the Chinese are now importing from Latin America rather than the U.S. But Bolsonaro is also cognizant that he needs to forge an alliance with the White House. "He wants to increase trade with the U.S.," Neumann said. Luckily for him, Trump sees in Bolsonaro a kindred spirit, evidenced by his New Year's Day tweet as Bolsonaro took office: "Congratulations to President @JairBolsonaro who just made a great inauguration speech — the U.S.A. is with you!” Meanwhile, conservationists and climate change activists worry that part of that openness will come at the expense of Brazil's vast natural beauty ー particularly its protected rainforests. On his first day in office, Bolsonaro transferred rainforest protections to a ministry that is heavily influenced by the agribusiness lobby. He pulled out of hosting a UN climate change conference and is expected by some to follow the U.S. by canceling Brazil's participation in the Paris climate accord, though he has not done so yet. Bolsonaro's appearance at Davos suggests he is focused on re-engaging with the world economically, even if his domestic policies are far less liberal. Neumann noted a famous saying about Brazil: It's a country of the future ... and it always will be. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/far-right-brazilian-president-speaks-of-new-brazil-in-davos).

Share:
More In Politics
Why Democrats Losing Hispanic Voters
Chuck Rocha, host of 'Nuestro' podcast and opinion contributor at The New York Times, joins Cheddar News to discuss why Democrats are losing Hispanic voters.
Return-to-Office Mandates Might Be Hurting the Middle Class
More businesses are requiring workers to return to the office, but there is concern that many employees in the middle class, especially women and people of color, need remote work options for reasons including childcare and financial security. Joan Williams, director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, joined Cheddar to discuss why office mandates could be detrimental to the middle class. She noted that while companies claim a return to offices would help foster more collaboration and efficiency, reports show that they are successfully able to do their jobs from home.
California Governor Explores Texas-Like Law to Ban Assault Weapons
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled to allow the controversial Texas abortion law to remain in effect, banning abortion at six weeks and allowing any private citizen to sue a person or doctor aiding or abetting someone seeking an abortion. Outraged at this decision, California Governor Gavin Newsom is working to draft a proposal in line with the law as it relates to guns. Shawn Hubler, California correspondent at the New York Times, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Getting Into the Vaccine Mandate Debate as Google Implements Its Own
Even as tech giant Google implements a vaccination mandate, charging its employees to declare their vaccine status within a time frame or risk dismissal, the federal government is tangled up in the court system trying to impose one of its own. Cindy Cohn, the executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Harry Nelson, founder and managing partner of Nelson Hardiman LLP, joined Cheddar to debate the ethics, efficacy, and legality surrounding the issue. While Cohn noted that she thinks the federal mandate might be legally sound, her organization is also concerned with a separate question of privacy. "At EFF what we're most interested in is the digital surveillance that's going along with some of these attempts to try to track and confirm whether people are vaccinated or not," she said.
Load More