Economy, health and politics of truth in Bolsonaro’s statements during the COVID-19

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12795/Ambitos.2021.i52.08

Keywords:

discourse analysis, , covid-19, economy, health, , politics

Abstract

The article aims to analyze how President Bolsonaro's statements established certain politics of truth regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. The analysis material consists of the content of three pronouncements, made when the country started social isolation, and 45 journalistic reports with statements made by the President, published on the GaúchaZH portal, from Porto Alegre, between March and July, 2020. Excerpts were extracted showing Bolsonaro's opinions and beliefs in relation to the discursive axis of “health” and “economics” in the context of the pandemic. From this material, two analytical categories were created: “maket above all”, with statements related to economy, and “chloroquine above everything”, with statements related to the economy. The set of methodological procedures is based on the discourse analysis by Michel Foucault, which investigates the ways in which power and truth are articulated in what is said. It is shown that the Brazilian President has enunciated the neoliberal truth, unveiling the market as a fundamental organizer of his speech during the pandemic in Brazil. This market truth rests on specific conceptions of freedom and democracy: individualistic, atomized, emptied of its collective character. Still, Bolsonaro bet that chloroquine would be the “magic pill” that would safeguard the biological health of the population and the economic health of the country. However, economic health has always been more important than biological health, which suggests contempt for the deaths of Brazilian citizens by COVID-19. The politics of truth in Bolsonaro's statements are politics of death.

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Author Biographies

Karla Schuck Saraiva, Universidade Luterana do Brasil

Karla Saraiva holds a PhD in Education (UFRGS), a master's degree and a degree in Civil Engineering. It develops research articulating education, widely understood, and issues related to contemporary socio-political organization. She is a professor at the Lutheran University of Brazil, where she works in undergraduate courses and in the Graduate Program in Education. She coordinates the Education for Revolt and Insurgency Study Group (GEERI). She is the editor of the Texture Magazine (ULBRA).

Luiz Felipe Zago, Grupo de Estudos em Promoção da Saúde - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

Luiz Felipe Zago holds a doctorate and a master's degree in education (UFRGS), a bachelor's degree in Social Communication - Journalism. He is a voluntary postdoctoral fellow at the UFRGS Graduate Nursing Program, researching digital health, health promotion and communication and health.

References

Após ignorar ministro, Bolsonaro diz ter vontade de baixar decreto para população poder trabalhar. GaúchaZH, 29 mar. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/39yEjkn . Acesso em 23 dez. 2020.

Bolsonaro critica “desinformação e pânico disseminado” por causa da covid-19. GaúchaZH, 25 jun. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/2XIs3It . Acesso em 23 dez. 2020.

Bolsonaro diz que falta humildade a Mandetta, mas que não pretende demiti-lo. GaúchaZH, 02 abr. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/39xMHkb . Acesso em 23 dez. 2020.

Bolsonaro diz ver excesso de preocupação com covid-19. GaúchaZH, 25 jun. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/3qmFWZa . Acesso em 23 dez. 2020.

Bolsonaro enquadra Teich diz que Ministério da Saúde mudará o protocolo sobre cloroquina. Gaúcha ZH, 14/05/2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/2LRjpoB . Acesso em 10 jan. 2021.

Bolsonaro quer ampliar o uso da cloroquina contra coronavírus apesar da falta de evidência. GauchaZH, 13/05/2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/3ql0EZt . Acesso em 10 de jan. 2021.

Bolsonaro recorre de decisão que o obriga a usar máscara. GauchaZH, 27/06/2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/3bCtdxu . Acesso em 10 jan. 2021.

Bolsonaro responsabiliza governadores e prefeitos por combate ao coronavírus. GaúchaZH, 08 jun. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/3bGn8Qs . Acesso em 23 dez. 2020.

E daí? Lamento, quer que eu faça o quê?, diz Bolsonaro sobre recorde de mortos por coronavírus. GaúchaZH, 28 abr. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/39zTlGy . Acesso em 08 jan. 2021.

É Guerra, tem que jogar pesado com governadores. GaúchaZH, 14 maio 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/3oX3weE . Acesso em 23 dez. 2020.

Em posse de Teich, Bolsonaro defende abertura de fronteiras e comércio e critica governadores. GaúchaZH, 17 abr. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/3soaxY9 . Acesso em 08 jan. 2021.

Governo muda estratégia após críticas de especialistas e deve liberar auxílio de R$ 600 sem PEC. GaúchaZH, 01 abr. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/3bFqH9R . Acesso em 23 dez. 2020.

Gripezinha: leia a íntegra do pronunciamento de Bolsonaro sobre covid-19. UOL, 24 mar. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/2Ly2Dei . Acesso em 23 dez. 2020.

Mandetta diz que fica no Ministério da Saúde e reitera necessidade de isolamento social. GaúchaZH, 06 abr. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/2XHzHms . Acesso 08 jan. 2021.

Médico não abandona paciente, diz Mandetta sobre eventual pedido de demissão. GaúchaZH, 03 abr. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/2LL33xD . Acesso em 08 jan. 2021.

Ministério da Saúde muda protocolo e amplia o uso da cloroquina para casos leves. GaúchaZH, 20/05/2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/2Klhng4 . Acesso em 10 jan. 2021.

Pronunciamento do presidente Bolsonaro em 31 de março de 2020. Blog do Esmael, 01 abr. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/35Gz94y . Acesso em 23 dez. 2020.

Pronunciamento. Veja e leia na íntegra o pronunciamento de Jair Bolsonaro. UOL, 08 abr. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/2N9cyYl . Acesso em 23 dez. 2020.

Tem que deixar de ser um país de maricas. GaúchaZH, 10 nov. 2020. Disponível em https://bit.ly/2LxEBQA. Acesso em 23 dez. 2020.

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Published

2021-04-15

How to Cite

Schuck Saraiva, K., & Zago, L. F. (2021). Economy, health and politics of truth in Bolsonaro’s statements during the COVID-19 . Ámbitos. Revista Internacional De Comunicación, (52), 124–139. https://doi.org/10.12795/Ambitos.2021.i52.08

Issue

No. 52 (2021): Spring Edition

Section

MONOGRAPH

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