NPR

Dictatorship Was A 'Very Good' Period, Says Brazil's Aspiring President

NPR sat down with Jair Bolsonaro, who is in the lead ahead of other (eligible) candidates for the Brazilian presidency.
Brazilian lawmaker Jair Bolsonaro is greeted by supporters as he launches his campaign for October's presidential election, in Rio de Janeiro, on July 22.

For once, Jair Bolsonaro is not surrounded by crowds of young, far-right supporters, cheering for him to be the next president of Latin America's largest nation.

The retired Brazilian army captain is sitting at a cafe in an airport departure lounge, gazing intently into his cellphone, the tool that keeps him in constant contact with his millions of social media followers.

Only a day earlier, Bolsonaro flew into this same airport, outside the city of Fortaleza, to be greeted by several thousand people chanting "Legend! Legend!" They carried him out of the building on their shoulders.

Now, apart from a couple of aides, the congressman is alone, waiting to fly economy class to Rio de Janeiro after a

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