Rural landowners and neofascism: a radiography of agrobolsonarismo’s ideology

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the ideological aspects of the fraction of the Brazilian agribusiness sector that actively adhered to the Bolsonarist movement, particularly medium-capital landowners. For this, we examine documents and social media publications from the Green and Yellow Brazil Movement, employer organizations associated with this group, and its main figures. The analysis of these documents and publications is grounded in the theoretical framework that characterizes the Bolsonarist movement as having neofascist traits. The ideology of agrobolsonarism, as that mobilized by other actors within the Bolsonarist movement, is primarily anti-communist, with elements of nationalism, conservatism, a cult of violence, and a superficial critique of capitalism and liberal democracy. The cornerstone of landowners’ interests is the defense of the legal and physical security of private land ownership and the guarantee of its profitability. In the logic of agrobolsonarist ideology, the main enemy of private land ownership is “communism” and its national and international apparatuses.