HOW CAN WE ANALIZE AUTHORITARIANISM IN BRAZIL?

Exercise of power regulated by the legislation, which generally requires the "use of the pen" and the observation of conventions and procedures.

Exercise of power according to the sign codes of political life, a dimension that the law cannot regulate, but which has an effect (positive or negative) on the quality of the political regime (e.g. liturgies, speeches, negotiations, interactions, eye-to-eye commitments, handshakes, authority commands, etc.).

Measures that oppose the ideal of freedom in difference, coerce minorities to conform with the majority or with a position seen as majoritarian. They legitimize discrimination or relativize protections and rights guaranteed under the regime of pluralism.

Political-ideological measures that fuel a logic of 'us' versus 'them' in politics, the latter being understood as 'enemies'. Invoking them, actors affirm their identity through antagonism and invoke images of external threat.

The erosion of transparency mechanisms, weakening of the distribution of powers, concentration of decision-making power, and weakening of accountability mechanisms that constitute the constitutional democratic regime.

Supporting or carrying out truculent or arbitrary actions, physical violence or monitoring, through justifications that tend to normalize the exercise of anti-democratic power - based on authority or into one's own hands - or the indiscriminate access to personal data.

Acts that endanger the institutional function by its own members or through external interference, due to political-ideological positions, partisan interests or personalist culture.

Alteration of the distribution of powers in the constitutional democratic regime, centralization or concentration of powers and attributions that were previously separated between the instances of power.

Extraordinary limitation of the scope of protection of civil, political and social rights due to the emergency situation.

Simplification of formalities and processes, reduction of accountability and transparency of governmental acts in favor of swiftness and effectiveness during the emergency situation.

Expansion of controlled and inspected areas by public agents to implement restrictions, sometimes linked to the curtailment of fundamental rights, legitimized by tackling the pandemic or another emergency.