How Bolsonaro Can Win Like Trump
March 14, 2025 | By Laiz Rodrigues
Jair Bolsonaro’s back is against the wall. With Brazil’s Supreme Court gearing up on March 25 to decide if he faces trial for an alleged coup plot, the former president’s staring down a legal buzzsaw—charges of leading a “criminal organization” to topple democracy after losing in 2022. Prison looms, his 2030 candidacy ban stings, and the left’s licking its chops. Sound like a death knell? Not if he takes a page from Donald Trump’s dog-eared playbook. Trump turned a 2020 loss, a January 6 mess, and a legal gauntlet into a 2024 White House return. Here’s how Bolsonaro can win like Trump—because the right doesn’t fold; it fights
Step 1: Own the Narrative
Trump never let the media define him. “Fake news” wasn’t just a catchphrase—it was a battering ram. CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times? He called them out, rallied his base, and built his own megaphone—Truth Social, X, and nonstop rallies. Bolsonaro’s got the same enemy: Globo and Brazil’s press elite, drooling over Lula’s every move. The Supreme Court case? They’re framing it as justice; he needs to flip it—call it “Lula’s revenge,” a stitch-up by a crooked judiciary. Hit X hard: “884 pages of lies—Globo’s script, not evidence.” Rally the faithful in São Paulo, fire up live streams, and make “lawfare” his war cry. Control the story, or they will.
Step 2: Ignite the Grassroots
Trump’s MAGA army didn’t vanish after 2020—they grew. He packed arenas, turned red hats into a movement, and kept the base buzzing on X and Rumble. Bolsonaro’s got his own legion—those January 8, 2023, patriots who stormed Brasília weren’t tourists; they were believers. Sure, it flopped, but the fire’s still there. He needs to channel it: town halls in Minas Gerais, church meetups in Rio, X Spaces with Eduardo spitting truth. Trump won by keeping his people loud—Bolsonaro’s got evangelicals, farmers, and truckers ready to roar. Give ‘em a mission: “Defend Brazil’s soul.” No coup nonsense—just votes and noise.
Step 3: No Apologies, Ever
Trump didn’t grovel after January 6. He doubled down—called it a protest, blamed Antifa, and shrugged off the indictments. The base ate it up; apologies are for losers. Bolsonaro’s in the same boat—accused of plotting to poison Lula and whack Justice Moraes? Laughable, sure, but don’t backpedal. “I fought for Brazil, not their swamp,” he should say. X post: “They jail patriots, I free them—#Bolsonaro2026.” Trump’s Teflon came from brass; Bolsonaro’s gotta shine his own. The left wants him meek—give ‘em a lion.
Step 4: Expose the Swamp
Trump won by painting D.C. as a cesspool—Biden, the DOJ, the FBI—all puppets of a rigged game. Bolsonaro’s got his own swamp: Lula, Moraes, and a Supreme Court itching to bury him. That 884-page report? Call it what it is—political fan fiction. Trump dug up dirt—Hunter’s laptop, Hillary’s emails—and slung it. Bolsonaro’s got ammo: Moraes’s censorship spree (X bans, anyone?), Lula’s cozy Globo ties. Thread it on X: “5 ways Lula’s rigging Brazil—1) Stacked courts, 2) Media lapdogs…” Tie it to Trump’s “drain the swamp”—Brasília’s overdue for a flush.
Step 5: Build the Alliance
Trump didn’t go it alone—he had Bannon, Hannity, and a global right cheering. Bolsonaro’s got brothers-in-arms: Eduardo’s D.C. trips, Argentina’s Milei, even Trump himself. Post-2024, Trump’s crew sees Brazil as a front line—Rumble’s suing Moraes in Florida, and X is a conservative lifeline. Host a Space: “Trump & Bolsonaro: The Fight’s One.” Push a Brazil-U.S. conservative pact—trade, faith, freedom. The base loves a bigger war; make it global.
The Catch? Execution
Trump had time—four years to regroup. Bolsonaro’s clock’s ticking; 2030’s far, and jail’s closer. His January 8 misstep was messier than Trump’s—military flirtation spooked some allies. But the core’s the same: a base that’s pissed, a system that’s stacked, and a man who thrives on chaos. Start now—X rants today, a rally tomorrow. Lula’s smug; Moraes is cocky. Good. Trump won when they underestimated him. Bolsonaro can too.
This ain’t about coups—it’s about comeback. Trump turned lawfare into a launchpad; Bolsonaro’s got the same shot. Own it, ignite it, never bend—win it. The right’s watching, from Brasília to Mar-a-Lago. Game on.