Presidential elections in Brazil: risk that 95% of the Amazon will end up under right-wing governments

Brazilian presidential elections in October could bring almost all of the Amazon under right-wing or far-right governments. According to Mongabay, a media specialized in the environment and tropical forests, Brazil could join the four Amazonian countries already governed by right-wing forces and, together with Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, bring up to 95% of the South American biome under conservative governments.

Brazil is home to over 60% of the Amazon and the electoral race is marked by the confrontation between the outgoing and re-nominated president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, of the PT (left-wing Workers' Party), and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, of the PL (right-wing liberal Party). If the latter wins, the main five of the nine Amazon countries could be governed by the right in 2027.

According to experts cited by Mongabay, such a scenario could have consequences for regional cooperation for forest protection, environmental policies and mining and agricultural activities. Márcio Astrini, executive secretary of the Climate Observatory, warned that the situation could become "almost impossible" if the region's governments abandoned environmental cooperation.