This talk attempts to present an X-ray of reactionary populism in power by describing how several ideological elements of Brazilian and international political culture that have gathered by the far rightwing movement led by Jair Bolsonaro. Lynch analyzes Jair Bolsonaro’s government nd its policies, focusing on the concept of reactionary populism. Identifying populism as a characteristic form of politics in democratic environments, the text highlights its general features, including the appeal “to the people” against “the elite,” political incorrectness, and the perception of imminent risk. Populism is classified into left and right, with reactionary populism distinguished from conservatism by its radical nature. Right-wing reactionary populism, represented by Bolsonaro, is examined as resistance to social equality, based on the idea of “restoration of order.” The Bolsonaro government is described as an exponent of reactionary populism, grounded in an ideology that seeks to restore traditional values, influenced by the thinking of Olavo de Carvalho and the Trump administration. Bolsonaro’s reactionary populism is characterized by a disregard for the principles of the Democratic Rule of Law, promoting rupture and attacking institutions.

Christian Edward Cyril Lynch holds a degree in Law from the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (1996), a master’s degree in law from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (1999), and a Ph.D. in Political Science (Political Science and Sociology) from the Rio de Janeiro Institute of Research (IUPERJ) (2007). Currently, he is a professor at the Institute of Political and Social Studies at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (IESP-UERJ), a researcher at the Rui Barbosa Foundation (FCRB), a postgraduate professor at Veiga de Almeida University (UVA), a consultant, and a productivity grantee (level 2) from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), a consultant and grantee of the Rio de Janeiro State Research Support Foundation (FAPERJ), a consultant for the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), an member of the Brazilian Historical and Geographic Institute (IHGB). He is also president of the Brazilian Institute of Legal History (IBHD). Christian Lynch is also the editor of the Insight Intelligence magazine and a columnist for Canal Meio. He is the author of hundreds of articles and several books, including “Brazil: From Monarchy to Oligarchy” (2014), “Reactive Populism” (2022), and “Foundations of Brazilian Political Thought” (2024).