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        Elections and chaos
        2018.10.03 20:23:25 CEST
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        If you are Brazilian, have Brazilian friends, spouse or relatives
        then you definitely know about the upcoming presidential election in
        Brazil. The situation is so chaotic that you barely hear about the
        state government or Congress elections (held on the same day).
       
        If you thought Clinton vs. Trump was a shit-show, you have no idea
        how bad things are right now in Brazil. There are a lot more
        candidates, but at the moment (3 days until election) it seems the
        race will be decided between Bolsonaro (a right-wing conservative
        candidate) and Haddad (a center-left candidate).
       
        Here are the problems: Bolsonaro is accused to be homophobic,
        racist, misogynist and bigoted, besides supporting a harder law and
        order approach to criminality, and praising the military
        dictatorship (which was known to be very violent and oppressive, as
        usual).
       
        Haddad on the other hand is from the Worker's Party, who is still
        attached to the former president (and now inmate after being
        sentenced to jail due to corruption) Lula. Many members of his party
        have stated they wish to disrupt the judiciary to free the former
        president and display very authoritarian attitudes (against the
        press and I would say even more authoritarian than the right wing
        opponent).
       
        So there is no good choice. Some people have compared the situation
        to having to pick between HIV or terminal cancer. The population is
        divided and there is no one trying to bridge the divide - both
        candidates are actually betting on the polarization getting worse.
        I've heard from multiple friends that they cannot have conversations
        with other people who have a different opinion than they do,
        including family members.
       
        Honestly, I don't think either of the candidates is as evil as their
        opposition paints them to be. Sure, they are barking a lot, but the
        political system in Brazil makes their action dependent on having
        majority in Congress, so no biting. Neither of them have a clear plan
        on how to handle the current economical, political and social crisis,
        after all they are profiting from it. So I also don't think either
        will improve the country directly.
       
        What I'm considering now are the indirect side-effects of electing
        one or the other. And I still haven't made up my mind.