Why does Brazil decree three days of national mourning for the death of Elizabeth II?

First modification: 09/09/2022 – 15:12

Brazil and the UK are not particularly close. Queen Elizabeth II has only visited the country once, in the late 1960s, during the dictatorship. But the British Crown has always held a certain fascination in a country that was itself a monarchy for more than 70 years, from 1822 to 1889.

And, according to polls, one in ten Brazilians is still in favor of the return to the throne of the House of Orleans-Bragance. In the midst of the electoral campaign, the national mourning decreed by the far-right president Jair Bolsonaro is also a message sent to the monarchist circles that mostly support him. Prince Luiz-Philippe d’Orléans-Bragance, for example, is a federal deputy from the former PSL presidential party.

Bolsonaro in London?

During the bicentennial events of the country’s independence, Jair Bolsonaro appeared in the company of the Brazilian royal family. He is also considering the possibility of attending the Queen’s funeral, which will be held in about ten days. This would certainly deprive him of two days of campaigning, but it would be a much appreciated gesture by his Conservative voters.