What Do Brazil's Municipal Elections Tell About Polarization in Latin America?

What Do Brazil's Municipal Elections Tell About Polarization in Latin America?

Author: AS/COA Online, Council of the Americas, Americas Society, Carin Zissis October 17, 2024 Duration: 33:50

Local concerns like sanitation, funding for schools, or road repairs were low on the agenda during Brazil’s October 6 municipal elections. Campaigns for mayorships and town-council seats were flashpoints for national fissures of identity politics that are reshaping the traditional left-right spectrum. Thomas Traumann, a journalist and political consultant, discussed the implications of this polarization rippling through politics in the country. He spoke with Luisa Leme on which political blocks made clear progress this year, next steps for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and what these races for Brazilian cities tell us about the 2026 presidential election.

Traumann is co-author of Biografia do Abismo (“Biography of the Abyss”), on polarization in Brazil, and O Pior Emprego do Mundo (“The Worst Job in the World”), about Brazilian finance ministers. 

Check out Traumann’s past participation in the podcast and the 2022 episodes on Brazil’s presidential elections:

How VP Choices Are Shaping Presidential Races in Colombia and Brazil
https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latam-focus-how-vp-choices-are-shaping-presidential-races-colombia-and-brazil

Kingmakers and Key Issues in Brazil's Lula-Bolsonaro Showdown
https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latam-focus-kingmakers-and-key-issues-brazils-lula-bolsonaro-showdown

The Battle for Brazil's Divided Electorate
https://www.as-coa.org/articles/latam-focus-battle-brazils-divided-electorate
 

Access other episodes of Latin America in Focus at www.as-coa.org/podcast and send us feedback at latamfocus@as-coa.org. Share and subscribe at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

The music in this podcast is is performed by Tiganá Santana for Americas Society.  
Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.

Follow us on social media:
X: @ASCOA
Instagram: @ascoa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascoaonline/
Bluesky: @ascoa.bsky.social
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASCOA/


Latin America in Focus is a production of the Americas Society/Council of the Americas, offering a nuanced look at the forces shaping the region. This podcast moves beyond headlines to explore the interconnected stories of policy, markets, and societal change. Each episode features conversations with policymakers, analysts, and on-the-ground experts, providing context to complex issues like trade agreements, electoral shifts, and cultural movements. Listeners gain a clearer understanding of the business climate, investment opportunities, and the political dynamics influencing daily life from Mexico to Argentina. The discussion is grounded in research and a deep network of regional knowledge, aiming to connect global audiences to the pivotal trends redefining Latin America. Whether examining a new regulatory framework, the impact of a social movement, or the economic prospects of a specific industry, the analysis is both rigorous and accessible. Tune in for a thoughtful and forward-looking perspective that treats the region not as a monolith, but as a diverse collection of nations each with its own narrative. This podcast serves as an essential resource for anyone looking to deepen their comprehension of a rapidly evolving part of the world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Latin America in Focus
Podcast Episodes
Financing Venezuela’s Future in the Aftermath of Disaster [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:54
The double earthquakes of June 24 accentuated a year of profound change in Venezuela. What was already a significant undertaking by the interim government in collaboration with the U.S. administration to address years of…
What Will Keiko Fujimori Face as President of Peru? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:59
On her fourth attempt, Keiko Fujimori is set to finally become Peru’s president. The right-wing former congresswoman will enter the presidential palace having bested her opponent, leftist lawmaker Roberto Sánchez, with j…
Jorge Castañeda on the Frictions Straining U.S.-Mexico Ties [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:47
From Mexico’s Cuba ties to Washington's persistent tariff pledges, points of friction keep coming up between Mexico and the United States, reaching a crescendo last month when the U.S. Department of Justice indicted 10 M…
What Trump and Lula Want from U.S.-Brazil Ties [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:19
After months of tensions, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump emerged from a May meeting at the White House smiling for the cameras. The leaders, both facing critical elections,…
Mercosur, EU, and the New Frontiers of Free Trade [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:54
On May 1, a transatlantic trade deal covering 31 countries and a quarter of global GDP comes into effect. Some thought it would never materialize, but after 25 years of off-and-on negotiations, Mercosur and the European…
The Math Behind Cartel Recruitment in Mexico [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:44
After a February military operation led to the death of Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera, Mexican authorities searched the cartel leader’s cabin and uncovered logs showing that low-level members of El Mencho’s Jalisco…
What's on the Trade Menu? Beef [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:35
When the United States and Argentina signed a bilateral trade deal in February, one part of the agreement turned heads: Washington would be quadrupling the amount of tariff-free beef it would allow to be imported from th…