BBB Bench

See also: Conservatism in Brazil

In Brazilian politics, the BBB Bench is a collective term used to informally describe three powerful political factions (bancadas, literally "benches") in the National Congress associated with the conservative right. ^{[1] [2]} These encompass the Bullet Bench (bancada da bala), legislators supportive of protecting and expanding gun rights, ^[2] the Rural Bench (bancada ruralista, often referred to as the bancada do boi, the Ox Bench), legislators aligned with agribusiness interests, ^{[3] [4] [5]} and the Evangelical Bench (bancada evangélica, often referred to as the bancada da bíblia), aligned with the country's evangelical movement. ^{[6] [7] [2]}

The term “BBB” was used for the first time by federal deputy Erika Kokay at a meeting of the Workers' Party (PT) bench in the Chamber of Deputies in early 2015, eliciting laughter from colleagues. ^[8] The expression soon became popular as a derogatory term used by leftists against their conservative opponents, who they deemed a threat to human and minority rights. ^[9]

The BBB Bench played a crucial role in the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff. ^[4] Even prior to Dilma's impeachment, the BBB Bench had already begun pressuring centre-right Vice President Michel Temer to support their proposals. ^{[10] [11]} In the 2018 presidential election, federal deputy Jair Bolsonaro, a member of the BBB Bench, was elected President of Brazil.

Rural Bench

Cotton being harvested in Brazil. Agricultural policy, especially with regards to arable land, maintains a key political issue in Brazil.

The Rural Bench or Ruralist Bench (bancada ruralista), often pejoratively referred to as the Ox Bench (bancada do boi), is a powerful faction within the National Congress allied with the interests of commercial agribusiness. ^[12] The faction is noted for its association with the Rural Democratic Association (UDR), a conservative agribusiness coalition opposed to land reform efforts backed by socialist parties like the Workers' Party (PT) that aim to expropriate farmland. ^[13]

In addition to opposing land reform efforts, members of the Rural Bench are noted for supporting policies aimed at expanding the amount of arable farmland in Brazil to the detriment of environmental conservation efforts. ^{[14] [15]} Members of the Rural Bench have come into conflict with indigenous activists due to their support for policies that aim to expand commercial activity in protected indigenous territories. ^[16] Additionally, the Rural Bench has been noted for supporting the easing of laws aimed at banning modern slavery in Brazil by limiting its definition. ^[17]

Most members of the Rural Bench are considered to be aligned with the broader conservative movement. However, some politicians often associated with the centre-left such as Kátia Abreu, who served as Senator from Tocantins and as Minister of Agriculture under left-wing President Dilma Rousseff, are considered to be associated with the Rural Bench. ^{[18] [19]}

Tereza Cristina, who had been a member of the Rural Bench during her time as a federal deputy, currently serves as Minister of Agriculture under Bolsonaro.

During the conservative presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, the Rural Bench has generally been supportive of the administration's policies, which have generally aligned with the interests of agribusiness. Since taking office, Tereza Cristina, a member of the conservative Democrats party who had been a member of the Rural Bench during her time as a federal deputy, has served as Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply under Bolsonaro. Cristina has been pejoratively labelled "The Poison Muse" for her support for ending some regulations on pesticides in Brazil. ^[20] Nevertheless, the faction has sometimes broken with the administration, especially with regard to its handling of soybean export policy. ^[21]

References

1. Alessi, Gil (2017-12-07). "Bancada da Bala, Boi e Bíblia impõe ano de retrocesso para mulheres e indígenas". El País (in Brazilian Portuguese).
2. Cavalcanti, Roxana Pessoa (2017). "How Brazil's far right became a dominant political force". The Conversation.
3. Castilho, Alceu Luís (2018-08-12). "A SERPENTE FORA DO OVO: a frente do agronegócio e o supremacismo ruralista". OKARA: Geografia Em Debate (in Brazilian Portuguese). 12 (2): 699–707. doi: 10.22478/ufpb.1982-3878.2018v12n2.41337 . ISSN   1982-3878.
4. "Boi, Bíblia e bala: 'bancada BBB' engrossa derrota de Dilma na Câmara". Folha de S.Paulo.
5. "Bancadas da Bala, da Bíblia e do Boi pressionam Temer - Política - Estadão". Estadão.
6. Gabriel Castro e Marcela Mattos (23 March 2013). "Vinde a mim os eleitores: a força da bancada evangélica no Congresso". Revista Veja . Retrieved 1 May 2013.
7. Gabriel Castro e Marcela Mattos (23 March 2013). "Vinde a mim os eleitores". Revista Veja, Ed. Abril. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
8. ""Aumenta a bancada BBB: Bíblia, boi e bala", diz Erika Kokay". revistaepoca.globo.com. 4 February 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
9. anachiaveg. "A bancada BBB domina o Congresso". CartaCapital.
10. "Bancadas da Bala, da Bíblia e do Boi pressionam Temer - Política - Estadão". Estadão. 25 April 2016.
11. "BBB já cobra Temer: bancadas da bala, da Bíblia e do boi pressionam o vice - Agência Estado - UOL Notícias". UOL Notícias. 25 April 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
12. "Coordenador da bancada ruralista sonha em comandar a Câmara | Radar". VEJA (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-12-25.
13. Brasil, CPDOC-Centro de Pesquisa e Documentação História Contemporânea do. "UNIAO DEMOCRATICA RURALISTA (UDR)". CPDOC - Centro de Pesquisa e Documentação de História Contemporânea do Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-12-25.
14. "Temer government set to overthrow Brazil's environmental agenda". Mongabay Environmental News. 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
15. "'Predatory agribusiness' likely to gain more power in Brazil election: report". Mongabay Environmental News. 2018-09-28. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
16. "Brazil 2017: environmental and indigenous rollbacks, rising violence". Mongabay Environmental News. 2017-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
17. "Temer guts Brazil's slavery law, to the applause of elite ruralists". Mongabay Environmental News. 2017-10-23. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
18. Jelmayer, Jeffrey T. Lewis and Rogerio (2014-12-23). "Brazil's Rousseff Names Katia Abreu Agriculture Minister". Wall Street Journal. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved 2020-12-25.
19. G1, Do; Paulo, em São (2014-12-23). "Kátia Abreu foi 1ª mulher a presidir a bancada ruralista no Congresso". Economia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-12-25.
20. "Bolsonaro administration approves 197 pesticides in five months". Brasil de Fato (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-12-25.
21. "Ruralistas aborrecidos com o governo". BR Político (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-12-25.