Lusophone

In Mozambique I've been surprised, naively, by the constant references to Brazil, as well as Angola. It should have been fairly obvious as a well-connected small group of lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) countries with lots of cultural and linguistic ties. Many people in Maputo have studied, travelled or worked in Brazil.

Therefore the news about the Brazilian election was followed more keenly here than it would have been elsewhere. Jair Bolsonaro is possibly even more of a caricature than Trump, and it's horrifying that the Brazilian electorate have voted him in. I was told that among Brazilians in Lisbon, who retain eligibility to vote, it was a win for him too. The notion of a group of expatriates voting for a far right-wing candidate is strange to me, but Brazilians and Brits obviously are shaped by different perspectives. Overall the discrediting of the left because of previous corruption scandals has been their downfall in this election and has led to the ushering in of a candidate who glorifies Brazil's previous military dictatorship.

It is all pretty frigging depressing to think that the two most populous nations in the Americas are led by regressive 'strongmen'.