One year after Lula's return to power, have Brazilian families overcome their political differences?
With a narrow margin of 1.8% between the two finalists, Brazil’s 2022 general election was the closest in the country’s history.
The presidential campaign, which resulted in the victory of left-wing leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva over outgoing far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, was exceptionally tense. NGOs 'Terra de Direitos' and 'Justiça Global' estimate that in the two months leading to the first round of elections on October 2, 2022, two cases of political violence were registered each day.
These tensions are also reflected within the family sphere, with many people experiencing serious disputes and even rifts with relatives. One year after Lula's inauguration, the wounds have not healed.
“Family love no longer exists”
“We used to have a mom and a dad who gathered all of us around them. But in their absence, and under Bolsonaro’s influence, it ended. This family love no longer exists”, said Sonia Lacerda, a 77-year-old member of Lula da Silva’s Workers’ Party.
Sonia is the eldest of a family of 15 children raised in the northeastern state of Paraíba. Nine of her siblings support Jair Bolsonaro. She recounted having suffered threats from one of them.
“When we were still in touch, he would tell me: 'You'll see what happens to you when the military returns to power,' implying that I might lose my job,” said this retired nurse. Jair Bolsonaro is a former army captain known for defending Brazil's 1964-1985 military dictatorship. “It makes me very sad, especially at this time of the year when we used to all be together,” she regretted.
Luciano Sant'Anna, a 54-year-old van driver who voted for Bolsonaro, shared that he experienced "contempt" from his leftist relatives. He recalled an incident when he met his brother and some friends in a bar, and his brother introduced him as his "pet Bolsonarista". Although Luciano still communicates with his brother, he admitted to having cut off relations with several uncles and cousins: "I don't feel very good about it, but it's better not to talk than to fight".
While not all family disputes end so badly, the wounds are not always easy to heal.
Mariana Romanelli, 28 years old, believes that she and her mother are the only ones in her family to have voted for Lula in the last elections. She explained that she has been progressively distancing herself from most of her relatives since the electoral period.
“I don't think it's only about politics. The main reason is that, ultimately, my lifestyle and values are just too different from theirs,” said this carioca, native of Rio de Janeiro, with a cup of coffee in her hand.
She mentioned her vegetarianism as an example. “They would tease me a lot for that, saying things like: 'Mariana doesn't eat meat because she wants to save the trees.’ I felt like a hippie in the middle of a party full of metalheads”.
Maycon Torres, a psychology professor at the Fluminense Federal University (UFF), explained that these tensions within families arise due to the expectations that members have of each other.
"Most people expect their families to be affectionate and understanding. That's why family disputes often take ugly turns. These disputes can quickly enter a mechanism of rejection and become unbearable," he told Global South World in an interview.
Virtual tensions
Brazil is the world’s second-biggest market for WhatsApp after India. Many of the disputes only take place behind screens, particularly in family WhatsApp groups.
"My cousins would randomly send comments on political things in our group, and then fights would happen," said Rodrigo Silva, a 22-year-old journalism student who voted for Lula.
For some, virtual discussions are the best option for managing family tensions. “I prefer to argue with my family over the phone”, confessed Ethelvina Ferreira, a 25-year-old who moved to Paris a few months before the elections. “When I talk on the phone, I have the option to say I have to go and just end it there”, she explained, adding that she has to deal with homophobic comments, among others.
Bolsonaro voter Luciano Sant'Anna agrees. "During discussions, I've been told to 'go f*** myself' and faced other insults. It's better that they said it on WhatsApp because if they had said it to me in real life, they would have gone home with no teeth," he said.
For others, like Sonia Lacerda, WhatsApp messages leave more room for misunderstanding. “I feel like speaking through screens makes everyone more aggressive,” she said.
Will these family tensions last for another three years, until the next Brazilian general elections?
