'Brazil no banana republic': Nation's VP slams Bolsonaro's 'fair polls or no polls' threat

As Brazil gears up for Presidential elections scheduled in 2022, President Jair Bolsonaro's repeated comments that the country's long-established electronic voting system is susceptible to fraud, have ramped up. Analysts view his attacks as suggesting that he is bracing for defeat in polls subsequent to his popularity declining over handling of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Notably, an opinion poll held in July put Bolsonaro's approval rating at 24% which was lowest since he held Presidential office in 2019.

Since 1996, people in Brazil cast their votes electronically, however, Bolsonaro has peddled conspiracy theories about its integrity while pushing to replace the system with paper printouts to be made of each vote cast. The leader suggests that the absence of a paper trail makes malpractice easier but a proposed bill did not gain much traction in their Parliament, the National Congress of Brazil. 

Anticipating a probable ouster in June, Bolsonaro had suggested that if the National Congress of Brazil did not approve the amendment to make it compulsory to print out electronic votes, he would not contest the elections. He insisted he would take part in the polls only if his rivals or he "won with verifiable and reliable vote".

"Either there are clean elections or there are no elections," the Brazilian President concurred.

Meanwhile, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court judge Roberto Barroso recently contradicted the President's contention and insisted that electronic voting was safe and introducing a paper ballot could open the process to "manipulation".

"Brazil is not a banana republic": Brazil's Vice-President

Bolsonaro's popularity has been plummetting since January after his government stopped subsidies meant to help tide over the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reports suggested that the reputation drop continued as the death toll climbed and corruption allegations emerged around the Bolsonaro-led government, coupled with a major health crisis in the country of 212 million people.

Meanwhile, critics allege that Bolsonaro is on the path of his "idol" former US President Donald Trump, ergo sowing election doubts to pave the way for him to appear as a martyr who was persecuted by the system in a bid to not accept any loss. Brazil's VP and former General in the Brazilian Army Hamilton Mourao had publicly said that it was "only logical" that polls would take place despite people's dissent. 

"Who's going to prohibit an election in Brazil?. We are not a banana republic," Brazilian VP said. 

It is pertinent to note that Brazil's electoral court has repeatedly denied the system of being corrupt or vulnerable to fraud. They have also declared there exists no evidence of fraud in previous polls and Bolsonaro has not come up with any proof to corroborate his claims.