Brazil elected its new president Sunday, a member of the Social Liberal Party, named Jair Bolsonaro.
So who is this new leader and how could his changes affect the United States?
First, let’s figure out what exactly the Social Liberal Party (PSL) of Brazil is.
This party was first founded October 30, 1994 with the belief that a free society is the main requirement for development in Brazil and the elimination of poverty.
It stands for limited federal government, more representation from local government, and greater involvement from the community.
Some specific issues that the party believes in include stronger protection of their borders, allowing citizens to own firearms, and raising awareness of the evils of socialism and communism.
Bolsonaro himself did not join the PSL until January 2018, with his previous party affiliation being the Social Christian Party.
With his arrival to the PSL, the party adopted more conservative ideologies, with their original stances being more libertarian.
Bolsonaro is known for his desire of stronger traditional family values in Brazil, and for being opposed to same-sex marriage, abortion, and drug decriminalization.
As a 17-year veteran of the Brazilian Army, Bolsonaro also supports improving the salaries of military members and giving more budget funds to the military.
Brazil, like the US, is a democratic Republic, with both countries having the largest economies in the Western Hemisphere.
With Bolsonaro and President Donald Trump both being well-known as outspoken conservatives, this could mean an even better relationship between the two countries.
The White House has stated that Trump is eager to work side-by-side with the new Brazilian leader, and Bolsonaro has stated that much like the US President wants to make America great, he wants to make Brazil great.
