Rise of the Bolsonaros

PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):

Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 9 PM
Wednesday, Aug. 31, at 2 AM

Since his surprise landslide victory in 2018, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has rarely been out of the headlines. Despite his combative manner and controversial views — pro-military, anti-feminist, anti-gay and determined to exploit the Amazon’s riches despite the outraged pleas of global environmentalists — he continues to have tens of millions of avid supporters. Told through revealing interviews with some of those closest to him, including family members as well as opponents, RISE OF THE BOLSONAROS is the story of a family’s remarkable rise from obscurity to the ultimate seat of power. As Bolsonaro faces re-election in October, this story has consequences not just in Brazil but around the world. 

RISE OF THE BOLSONAROS charts the rise of Jair Bolsonaro and his three sons, also politicians, who together wield enormous power in modern Brazil. Born into a poor family south of São Paolo, Bolsonaro attended a military academy and then joined the army, becoming a career soldier. In 1985, following years of dictatorship and military rule, the civilian president Jose Sarney took office, and a new era of societal freedom began. Disapproving of this new Brazil, Bolsonaro entered politics, becoming a deputy in the national congress in 1991. Although polarizing and controversial, Bolsonaro’s star continued to rise as his pro-military and pro-family values conservatism struck a chord with a large segment of the nation’s population.