InBrazilian politics, theBBB Bench is a collective term used to informally describe three powerful political factions (bancadas, literally "benches") in theNational Congress associated with theconservative right:[1][2]
The term “BBB” was used for the first time byfederal deputyErika Kokay at a meeting of theWorkers' Party (PT) bench in theChamber 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 theimpeachment of Dilma Rousseff.[4] Even prior to Dilma's impeachment, the BBB Bench had already begun pressuring centre-rightVice PresidentMichel Temer to support their proposals.[10][11] In the2018 presidential election, federal deputyJair Bolsonaro, a member of the BBB Bench, was electedPresident of Brazil.
TheRural Bench orRuralist Bench (bancada ruralista), often pejoratively referred to as theOx Bench (bancada do boi), is a powerful faction within the National Congress allied with the interests of commercialagribusiness.[12] The faction is noted for its association with theRural Democratic Association (UDR), a conservative agribusiness coalition opposed to land reform efforts backed by socialist parties like theWorkers' 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 ofarable farmland in Brazil to the detriment ofenvironmental conservation efforts.[14][15] Members of the Rural Bench have come into conflict withindigenous activists due to their support for policies that aim to expand commercial activity in protectedindigenous territories.[16] Additionally, the Rural Bench has been noted for supporting the easing of laws aimed at banning modernslavery 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 thecentre-left such asKátia Abreu, who served asSenator fromTocantins and asMinister of Agriculture under left-wing PresidentDilma Rousseff, are considered to be associated with the Rural Bench.[18][19]
During the conservative presidency ofJair 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 conservativeDemocrats party who had been a member of the Rural Bench during her time as a federal deputy, has served asMinister 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 ofsoybean export policy.[21]
TheEvangelical Parliamentary Front or theEvangelical Caucus (known inPortuguese asFrente Parlamentar Evangélica andBancada Evangélica respectively) is a loosely organized group ofEvangelical lawmakers in the Brazilian government and legislature.
If considered a political party, the Evangelical Caucus would be the third largest in the Brazilian government, surpassed only by theBrazilian Democratic Movement and theWorkers' Party. It is a prominent feature ofConservatism in Brazil. (Full article...)
InBrazilian politics, thebullet bench is a phrase used to refer to theparliamentary front composed of politicians who supportgun rights, the easing of laws related to weapons and againstdisarmamentist policies. It is a prominent feature ofConservatism in Brazil.
At the federal level, the bench moved to change the Disarmament Statute by proposing 41 projects, including that of parliamentarian Rogério Mendonça, who proposed the approval of new legislation that would increase the penalties for crimes committed with firearms and would revoke that Statute.
However, it is not only in theNational Congress that the group is present. In theMunicipality of São Paulo, for example, the councilors Álvaro Camilo, ex-commander general of the PM, Paulo Telhada, ex-commander of theRondas Ostensivas Tobias de Aguiar (ROTA), and Conte Lopes, retired captain, took over in 2013 who also served on Rota and was a state deputy. In the Chamber, the bench presses to create a Security Commission, dismembering the Human Rights Commission, which also deals with the issue.
SenatorMajor Olímpio represents the State of São Paulo in the Senate and is a former state deputy for two terms and a former federal deputy for one term. Olímpio leads the movement to reduce the age of criminal responsibility, by increasing the sentence for crimes committed by law enforcement officers and crimes committed against police officers, and by ending the temporary departure of convicted prisoners. (Full article...)
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