Brazil swings to right
Brazil entered a new era yesterday after electing its next president, Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right congressman who vowed a fundamental change in direction for the giant Latin American country.
Bolsonaro, who openly admires Brazil's former military dictatorship and shocked many with his derogatory remarks on women, gays and blacks, won 55 percent of the vote in a run-off election Sunday -- more than 10 points ahead of leftist opponent Fernando Haddad.
Having channelled voters' anger with corruption, crime and economic malaise, he will now get down to work trying to deliver on the promise he made in his victory speech: to "change Brazil's destiny."
Bolsonaro, 63, is due to fly to Brasilia today to start the transition process, which will culminate with his swearing-in on January 1.
His schedule includes meetings with deeply unpopular outgoing President Michel Temer, as well as the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the army chief of staff.
After a vitriolic campaign that left Brazil deeply polarized, the country is anxiously waiting to see what Bolsonaro's presidency will actually look like.
One of his top advisers, economic guru Paulo Guedes, promised Sunday night that the changes would be sweeping indeed, at least as far as managing the world's eighth-largest economy is concerned.
US President Donald Trump called Bolsonaro on Sunday to congratulate him, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
"Both expressed a strong commitment to work side-by-side to improve the lives of the people of the United States and Brazil, and as regional leaders, of the Americas," she said.
China also congratulated Bolsonaro -- a former army captain who has accused China of "buying Brazil" -- on winning his country's presidential elections.
Beijing will continue to "deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and promote common development of both countries to benefit the two peoples", said foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang at a regular press briefing.
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