The article discusses Jair Bolsonaro's dual public personas: the aggressive, defiant 'tough guy' and the vulnerable, victimized 'underdog.' These personas are strategically employed, with bravado followed by displays of suffering to garner sympathy and incite resentment against perceived enemies.
Recent public appearances, especially hospital live streams, reveal a new, more morbid aspect. Instead of projecting strength, Bolsonaro displays his injured body, emphasizing his suffering and decay. This stark portrayal, devoid of typical celebratory messages, evokes discomfort and repulsiveness rather than the desired compassion or anger.
The author suggests that this departure from previous calculated performances indicates a loss of narrative control. While past victimhood was used to fuel political resurgence, the current exhibition of decline departs from the established narrative of resilience and revanche.
The article draws comparisons to other political figures such as Trump, highlighting Bolsonaro's atypical shift toward a portrayal of irreversible decay, compared to others who use injury to reinforce a narrative of strength and counterattack.
Ultimately, this unexpected shift unintentionally presents a fading image of Bolsonaro: not the invincible 'myth,' but a body broken by time and circumstance, publicly decaying.