da Silva would have beaten Bolsonaro handily had he been allowed to run.

To prevent that, they framed him on a charge of bribery (using as evidence a $700,000 apartment no one could show he owned).

In neighboring Argentina, the current far-right president (whom Bolsonaro strongly supports, but who's driven the economy into the ditch) is trying to do the same with former President Crisitna Kirchner - whom polls show would win by 10% if she ran next year.

In the '70s the South American far right used coups; now they use pet judges.

Thanks for posting this, appalachiablue.

in politics in Brazil and Argentina. Manipulating the judiciary, like the media and academia is one of the pillars of a fascist regimes. We need to stay on top of rising extremist alt right public figures and political parties, especially in the Americas and Europe- understatement. Things are becoming ugly and threatening to western democracy in areas.



Brazilian women protest against politician Jair Bolsonaro, 'Hitler of the Tropics' in late September.

Bolsonaro has been compared to US President Donald Trump and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. The ex-military congressman has created tension and controversy with overtly misogynistic, racist and homophobic comments: he told a congresswoman that she didn't deserve to be raped, because she was "very ugly"; and stated he'd prefer to see his son "die in an accident," than for a member of his family be homosexual.

These are trying, fake news-filled times.

What a surprise.

Do we play dirty too? I don't know. But everywhere around the globe, right wingers, extremists, are taking power through neferoius means. But we play by the rules. The left has always assumed that the courts would be at least our final line of defense. But now, as in the US, the courts have been stacked with not just conservatives, but far right extremists, who most likely have a financial stake in the game as well.

Add to that media ownership by the same ilk.

We may win the battle in November, but the war is still favoring their side. Another important battle is for Net Neutrality. Once that is gone, and the big Republican contributing media corps turn the internet into one big giant cable company, we are toast.