U.S. national security adviser John Bolton delivered remarks on the Trump administration's policies in Latin America at Miami Dade College's National Historic Landmark Freedom Tower in Miami, Florida. (Photo: Cristobal Herrera/EPA)
Nov 02, 2018
Declaring not just sympathy but outright admiration for a fascist who has threatened violence against his leftist political opponents, celebrated the use of torture, and promised to give the police free rein to murder at will, U.S. national security adviser John Bolton on Thursday praised Brazil's newly elected strongman President Jair Bolsonaro as a "like-minded" partner who shares the Trump administration's commitment to so-called "free market principles."
"John Bolton just came to Miami's Freedom Tower and gave a speech praising Jair Bolsonaro, the wannabe Brazilian neofascist who wants to bring back the country's dictatorship, torture people, and kill dissidents."
--Jerry Iannelli, Miami New Times
"The recent elections of like-minded leaders in key countries, including Ivan Duque in Colombia, and last weekend Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, are positive signs for the future of the region, and demonstrate a growing regional commitment to free-market principles, and open, transparent, and accountable governance," Bolton said during a speech at Miami-Dade College.
"[T]oday, in this hemisphere, we are also confronted once again with the destructive forces of oppression, socialism, totalitarianism," Bolton added.
But Bolton went on to proclaim that with the rise of Bolsonaro, "the Troika of Tyranny in this hemisphere--Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua--has finally met its match," coining a phrase that immediately drew comparisons to former President George W. Bush's infamous "Axis of Evil" line, which was used repeatedly to justify America's disastrous invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Vox's Alex Ward described Bolton's remarks as a "modern-day 'Axis of Evil' speech."
Intensifying fears that the Trump administration could be considering military action against Latin American nations it has deemed enemies, Bolton announced that the White House plans to take "direct action against" Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua "to defend the rule of law, liberty, and basic human decency in our region."
\u201cBrazil\u2019s new President Jair Bolsonaro is a far-right authoritarian who has praised the former military dictatorship and referred to black activists as \u201canimals.\u201d\n\nIt's very troubling that Bolton sees Bolsonaro as \u201clike-minded\u201d with Trump. Even more troubling, he\u2019s probably right.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1541165494
\u201cJohn Bolton just came to Miami's Freedom Tower and gave a speech praising Jair Bolsonaro, the wannabe Brazilian neofascist who wants to bring back the country's dictatorship, torture people, and kill dissidents: https://t.co/U26DWYO1VI\u201d— Jerry Iannelli (@Jerry Iannelli) 1541099741
\u201cThis is frankly terrifying. A wave of Fascism is sweeping the globe, led by Trump and his malevolent, unhinged cronies. https://t.co/umMt1M9L9U\u201d— Mountain (@Mountain) 1541104761
Shortly after celebrating the ascent of Bolsonaro--whose promise to pry open Brazilian markets, accelerate the corporate plunder of the Amazon rainforest, and privatize his nation's public services has also been met with unabashed giddiness by the global business community--Bolton righteously proclaimed that the United States "will not reward firing squads, torturers, and murderers," despite its long and gruesome history of doing precisely that.
Completely ignoring Bolsonaro's enthusiastic praise of Brazil's 21-year military dictatorship--which came to power after a U.S.-backed coup in 1964--Bolton concluded that America will not "appease dictators and despots near our shores in this hemisphere."
While Bolton's effusive praise for Bolsonaro was met with revulsion by analysts and commentators, one former State Department official noted that his remarks are hardly cause for surprise.
"It is not surprising that Bolton and the U.S. government would see the president-elect of Brazil as an ally," Jana Nelson, a Brazil desk officer at the State Department from 2010 to 2015, told Vox. "Jair Bolsonaro is an open admirer of Trump."
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
amazon rainforestauthoritarianismbrazilfascismjair bolsonarojohn boltonlatin americaneocontotalitarianismtrumpism
Declaring not just sympathy but outright admiration for a fascist who has threatened violence against his leftist political opponents, celebrated the use of torture, and promised to give the police free rein to murder at will, U.S. national security adviser John Bolton on Thursday praised Brazil's newly elected strongman President Jair Bolsonaro as a "like-minded" partner who shares the Trump administration's commitment to so-called "free market principles."
"John Bolton just came to Miami's Freedom Tower and gave a speech praising Jair Bolsonaro, the wannabe Brazilian neofascist who wants to bring back the country's dictatorship, torture people, and kill dissidents."
--Jerry Iannelli, Miami New Times
"The recent elections of like-minded leaders in key countries, including Ivan Duque in Colombia, and last weekend Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, are positive signs for the future of the region, and demonstrate a growing regional commitment to free-market principles, and open, transparent, and accountable governance," Bolton said during a speech at Miami-Dade College.
"[T]oday, in this hemisphere, we are also confronted once again with the destructive forces of oppression, socialism, totalitarianism," Bolton added.
But Bolton went on to proclaim that with the rise of Bolsonaro, "the Troika of Tyranny in this hemisphere--Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua--has finally met its match," coining a phrase that immediately drew comparisons to former President George W. Bush's infamous "Axis of Evil" line, which was used repeatedly to justify America's disastrous invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Vox's Alex Ward described Bolton's remarks as a "modern-day 'Axis of Evil' speech."
Intensifying fears that the Trump administration could be considering military action against Latin American nations it has deemed enemies, Bolton announced that the White House plans to take "direct action against" Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua "to defend the rule of law, liberty, and basic human decency in our region."
\u201cBrazil\u2019s new President Jair Bolsonaro is a far-right authoritarian who has praised the former military dictatorship and referred to black activists as \u201canimals.\u201d\n\nIt's very troubling that Bolton sees Bolsonaro as \u201clike-minded\u201d with Trump. Even more troubling, he\u2019s probably right.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1541165494
\u201cJohn Bolton just came to Miami's Freedom Tower and gave a speech praising Jair Bolsonaro, the wannabe Brazilian neofascist who wants to bring back the country's dictatorship, torture people, and kill dissidents: https://t.co/U26DWYO1VI\u201d— Jerry Iannelli (@Jerry Iannelli) 1541099741
\u201cThis is frankly terrifying. A wave of Fascism is sweeping the globe, led by Trump and his malevolent, unhinged cronies. https://t.co/umMt1M9L9U\u201d— Mountain (@Mountain) 1541104761
Shortly after celebrating the ascent of Bolsonaro--whose promise to pry open Brazilian markets, accelerate the corporate plunder of the Amazon rainforest, and privatize his nation's public services has also been met with unabashed giddiness by the global business community--Bolton righteously proclaimed that the United States "will not reward firing squads, torturers, and murderers," despite its long and gruesome history of doing precisely that.
Completely ignoring Bolsonaro's enthusiastic praise of Brazil's 21-year military dictatorship--which came to power after a U.S.-backed coup in 1964--Bolton concluded that America will not "appease dictators and despots near our shores in this hemisphere."
While Bolton's effusive praise for Bolsonaro was met with revulsion by analysts and commentators, one former State Department official noted that his remarks are hardly cause for surprise.
"It is not surprising that Bolton and the U.S. government would see the president-elect of Brazil as an ally," Jana Nelson, a Brazil desk officer at the State Department from 2010 to 2015, told Vox. "Jair Bolsonaro is an open admirer of Trump."
Declaring not just sympathy but outright admiration for a fascist who has threatened violence against his leftist political opponents, celebrated the use of torture, and promised to give the police free rein to murder at will, U.S. national security adviser John Bolton on Thursday praised Brazil's newly elected strongman President Jair Bolsonaro as a "like-minded" partner who shares the Trump administration's commitment to so-called "free market principles."
"John Bolton just came to Miami's Freedom Tower and gave a speech praising Jair Bolsonaro, the wannabe Brazilian neofascist who wants to bring back the country's dictatorship, torture people, and kill dissidents."
--Jerry Iannelli, Miami New Times
"The recent elections of like-minded leaders in key countries, including Ivan Duque in Colombia, and last weekend Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, are positive signs for the future of the region, and demonstrate a growing regional commitment to free-market principles, and open, transparent, and accountable governance," Bolton said during a speech at Miami-Dade College.
"[T]oday, in this hemisphere, we are also confronted once again with the destructive forces of oppression, socialism, totalitarianism," Bolton added.
But Bolton went on to proclaim that with the rise of Bolsonaro, "the Troika of Tyranny in this hemisphere--Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua--has finally met its match," coining a phrase that immediately drew comparisons to former President George W. Bush's infamous "Axis of Evil" line, which was used repeatedly to justify America's disastrous invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Vox's Alex Ward described Bolton's remarks as a "modern-day 'Axis of Evil' speech."
Intensifying fears that the Trump administration could be considering military action against Latin American nations it has deemed enemies, Bolton announced that the White House plans to take "direct action against" Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua "to defend the rule of law, liberty, and basic human decency in our region."
\u201cBrazil\u2019s new President Jair Bolsonaro is a far-right authoritarian who has praised the former military dictatorship and referred to black activists as \u201canimals.\u201d\n\nIt's very troubling that Bolton sees Bolsonaro as \u201clike-minded\u201d with Trump. Even more troubling, he\u2019s probably right.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1541165494
\u201cJohn Bolton just came to Miami's Freedom Tower and gave a speech praising Jair Bolsonaro, the wannabe Brazilian neofascist who wants to bring back the country's dictatorship, torture people, and kill dissidents: https://t.co/U26DWYO1VI\u201d— Jerry Iannelli (@Jerry Iannelli) 1541099741
\u201cThis is frankly terrifying. A wave of Fascism is sweeping the globe, led by Trump and his malevolent, unhinged cronies. https://t.co/umMt1M9L9U\u201d— Mountain (@Mountain) 1541104761
Shortly after celebrating the ascent of Bolsonaro--whose promise to pry open Brazilian markets, accelerate the corporate plunder of the Amazon rainforest, and privatize his nation's public services has also been met with unabashed giddiness by the global business community--Bolton righteously proclaimed that the United States "will not reward firing squads, torturers, and murderers," despite its long and gruesome history of doing precisely that.
Completely ignoring Bolsonaro's enthusiastic praise of Brazil's 21-year military dictatorship--which came to power after a U.S.-backed coup in 1964--Bolton concluded that America will not "appease dictators and despots near our shores in this hemisphere."
While Bolton's effusive praise for Bolsonaro was met with revulsion by analysts and commentators, one former State Department official noted that his remarks are hardly cause for surprise.
"It is not surprising that Bolton and the U.S. government would see the president-elect of Brazil as an ally," Jana Nelson, a Brazil desk officer at the State Department from 2010 to 2015, told Vox. "Jair Bolsonaro is an open admirer of Trump."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.