International
Brazil’s Bolsonaro taps wife to woo Evangelicals, women
AFP | by Ramon SAHMKOW
Once a discreetly smiling presence at Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s side, First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro is increasingly wooing Evangelical Christian and women voters to reelect the husband she calls “one of God’s chosen ones.”
Trailing in the polls to leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the far-right incumbent has turned to his telegenic, fervently Christian wife to help him with those two key demographic groups ahead of October 2 elections.
A mainly behind-the-scenes presence for most of Bolsonaro’s term, the first lady is now playing a starring role in his campaign — to the point of giving what he himself called the keynote speech when he launched his reelection bid a month ago.
“She’s the most important person here,” Bolsonaro, 67, gushed that day.
He then handed the mic over to his beaming 40-year-old wife, who warned ominously against returning “our enemies” to power and led the crowd in the Lord’s prayer.
Lula, Brazil’s president from 2003 to 2010, is leading Bolsonaro 45 percent to 33 percent, according to a poll released Thursday by the Datafolha institute.
Among women, the gap was even bigger: 46 percent to 29 percent.
Bolsonaro has long struggled with women voters.
In his 2018 campaign, the former army captain was the target of a women-led movement called #EleNao — “not him” — launched by critics who accuse him of misogyny.
He has revived those accusations this time around with controversial campaign-trail behavior such as bragging about his supposed sexual prowess and lashing out at a woman journalist who asked him a tough question during the first presidential debate.
“You must have a crush on me or something,” he told her sarcastically.
Enter the first lady.
“Her role is to make (Bolsonaro) more attractive to women voters,” says Sergio Praca, a political analyst at the Getulio Vargas Foundation.
Winning strategy?
Both Bolsonaro and former president Lula are keenly courting women (53 percent of the electorate) and Evangelicals (an estimated 31 percent of Brazil’s 213 million people).
Known for his aggressive style and use of profanities, Bolsonaro has sometimes rubbed both groups the wrong way.
Political analysts say women voters also resent his lack of policies to help them through the country’s post-Covid-19 economic malaise, the impact of which has fallen disproportionately on their shoulders.
Michelle, Bolsonaro’s third wife, sends the message the president is a “conservative family man” and “trustworthy” candidate, says Carolina Botelho, a political communication specialist at Rio de Janeiro State University.
The elegant first lady’s increasingly active role has turned heads — including among the electoral authorities, who recently blocked a Bolsonaro campaign ad from television, ruling she had exceeded the time allotted to candidates’ allies.
But it is unclear if the strategy is paying off: Bolsonaro’s poll numbers among women have remained essentially flat.
Michelle “may have reinforced (Bolsonaro’s) standing among women who were already with him, but she hasn’t drawn in those who were against him,” says Botelho.
“She speaks well to a fanatic, radicalized audience, but not to the rest of the population.”
Religion and politics
The first lady appears to have greater pull with conservative Christians, given her history of volunteering on church-affiliated charity projects and her close ties with powerful Evangelical pastors and politicians.
“Her main strength is among the Evangelical electorate,” says Adriano Laureno, a political analyst at consulting firm Prospectiva.
Her speaking style “closely resembles a pastor’s,” with constant references to God and a struggle between good and evil, he adds.
In this case, the strategy may be working: Bolsonaro has extended his lead over Lula among Evangelicals, which stands at 49 percent to 32 percent in the latest Datafolha poll.
Polls also show a majority of voters in Brazil believe religion should play a role in politics.
The first lady does just that in her public appearances, regularly repeating her husband’s slogan: “Brazil above all, and God above everyone.”
International
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
The Colombian government stated on Thursday that it would have no reason to reject a potential asylum request from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should he leave office, as regional tensions persist over the deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean since August.
“In the current climate of tension, negotiations are necessary, and if the United States demands a transition or political change, that is something to be assessed. If such a transition results in him (Maduro) needing to live elsewhere or seek protection, Colombia would have no reason to deny it,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in an interview with Caracol Radio.
However, Villavicencio noted that it is unlikely Maduro would choose Colombia as a refuge. “I believe he would opt for someplace more distant and calmer,” she added.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also commented on Venezuela’s situation on Wednesday, arguing that the country needs a “democratic revolution” rather than “inefficient repression.” His remarks followed the recent detention and passport cancellation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras at the Caracas airport.
“The Maduro government must understand that responding to external aggression requires more than military preparations; it requires a democratic revolution. A country is defended with more democracy, not more inefficient repression,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a rare public criticism of the Venezuelan leader.
Petro also called for a general amnesty for political opponents and reiterated his call for forming a broad transitional government to address Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Since September, U.S. military forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in over 80 deaths.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that attacks “inside Venezuela” will begin “soon,” while Maduro has urged Venezuelans to prepare for what he describes as an impending external aggression.
International
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Cuba is facing a severe dengue and chikungunya epidemic that has already claimed at least 44 lives, including 29 minors, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap). The outbreak—now considered out of control—has expanded across the entire country amid a critical shortage of resources to confront the emergency.
Authorities report more than 42,000 chikungunya infections and at least 26,000 dengue cases, though they acknowledge significant underreporting as many patients avoid seeking care in health centers where medicines, supplies, and medical personnel are scarce. The first cluster was detected in July in the city of Matanzas, but the government did not officially use the term “epidemic” until November 12.
Chikungunya—virtually unknown on the island until this year—causes high fever, rashes, fatigue, and severe joint pain that can last for months, leaving thousands temporarily incapacitated. Dengue, endemic to the region, triggers fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and, in severe cases, internal bleeding. Cuba currently has no vaccines available for either virus.
Minsap reports that of the 44 deaths recorded so far, 28 were caused by chikungunya and 16 by dengue.
The health crisis unfolds amid deep economic deterioration, marked by the absence of fumigation campaigns, uncollected garbage, and shortages of medical supplies—conditions that have fueled the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for both diseases. “The healthcare system is overwhelmed,” non-official medical sources acknowledge.
Beyond the health impact, the epidemic is heavily disrupting economic and family life. The intense joint pain caused by chikungunya has led to widespread work absences, while hospital overcrowding has forced relatives to leave their jobs to care for the sick. In November, authorities launched a clinical trial using the Cuban drug Jusvinza to reduce joint pain, though results have not yet been released.
International
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Violence in Ecuador is expected to reach historic levels by the end of 2025, with the country set to record the highest homicide rate in Latin America for the third consecutive year, according to a report released Thursday by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The organization warns that criminal activity is not only persisting but could worsen in 2026.
Official figures show 7,553 homicides recorded through October, surpassing the 7,063 registered throughout all of 2024. ACLED estimates that 71% of the population was exposed to violent incidents this year, despite President Daniel Noboa’s declaration of an “internal armed conflict” in an attempt to confront powerful criminal groups.
According to the report, several factors are driving the deterioration of security: a territorial war between Los Chonerosand Los Lobos, the two most influential criminal organizations in the country; the fragmentation of other groups after the fall of their leaders; and Ecuador’s expanding role as a strategic hub for regional drug trafficking.
Since 2021, violence has forced the internal displacement of around 132,000 people, while more than 400,000 Ecuadorians — equivalent to 2% of the population — have left the country. Between January and November alone, violent deaths rose 42%, fueled by prison massacres and clashes between rival gangs.
The report warns that conditions may deteriorate further. Ecuador has been added to ACLED’s 2026 Conflict Watchlist, which highlights regions at risk of escalating violence. The expansion of Colombian armed groups such as FARC dissidents and the ELN, state weakness, and a potential rerouting of drug trafficking corridors from the Caribbean to the Pacific intensify the threat.
“The president is facing a wave of violence that shows no signs of easing,” the report concludes.
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
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