A voter gave a Nazi salute to a Jew in Brazil. Here’s why it matters
On October 25, as Brazilians went to the polls to elect their next president, a disturbing scene unfolded at a polling station in Rio de Janeiro.
A woman wearing a Brazilian national football team shirt and a red “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) cap, associated with US President Donald Trump, was filmed performing a Nazi salute. When confronted by another voter, she asked whether he was a communist. The man replied that he was Jewish.
“Even worse,” she responded.
The incident, now under police investigation, occurred during Brazil’s deeply polarized presidential election between incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The woman’s clothing displayed symbols associated with the Brazilian right and Trump’s MAGA movement. Although her actions cannot be attributed to an entire political camp, the episode raises an uncomfortable question about the relationship between political support for Israel and antisemitism.
Shortly after the incident, StandWithUs Brasil, an educational organization dedicated to combating antisemitism and promoting education about Israel and the Holocaust, issued a statement unequivocally condemning the woman’s behavior.
The organization emphasized that antisemitism is incompatible with democracy and that its presence is one of the clearest warning signs of democratic deterioration. It also recalled that promoting Nazism is a criminal offense under Brazilian law.
The statement reflected a principle that I believe should guide everyone committed to fighting antisemitism: hatred against Jews must be confronted regardless of where it comes from.
Brazil’s political contradictions
For Israeli readers, some context is necessary.
Under President Lula, Brazil’s relationship with Israel has deteriorated considerably. In February 2024, Lula compared Israel’s military campaign in Gaza to Hitler’s extermination of European Jews, prompting Israel to declare him persona non grata. In July 2025, his government withdrew Brazil from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), which Brazil had joined as an observer during Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency.
Meanwhile, the Bolsonaro family has cultivated close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Flávio Bolsonaro belongs to a political movement that frequently presents itself as a strong supporter of Israel.
These differences are politically significant. But they also illustrate why support for Israel should never be confused with immunity from antisemitism.
A person may express admiration for Israel while harboring prejudices against Jews. Conversely, criticism of Israeli government policies does not, in itself, constitute antisemitism.
What matters is the substance of someone’s words and actions, not merely their political affiliations.
Why I chose this fight
Since 2019, I have used my social media platforms to combat antisemitism. Although I am not Jewish, I consciously decided to make this one of the central causes of my life.
My Christian faith is an important reason. Jesus was Jewish, and Christianity has a long and painful history of anti-Jewish teachings that contributed to centuries of discrimination and persecution. As a Christian, I believe acknowledging this history is part of our moral responsibility.
But there is another reason: my commitment to democracy.
As a political scientist, I have strong political convictions and my own ideological preferences. Nevertheless, I deliberately chose not to publicly endorse candidates in recent Brazilian elections.
Some interpret this decision as political indecision or a reluctance to take a stand. In reality, it is precisely the opposite.
I want to preserve the independence necessary to criticize antisemitism wherever it appears, without having to defend politicians or excuse the behavior of their supporters.
Over the years, I have criticized both Lula and Jair Bolsonaro when I believed their statements or actions warranted criticism on this issue. This does not mean equating their political records. It simply means refusing to make the fight against antisemitism dependent on partisan loyalties.
The canary in the coal mine
Why focus so much attention on antisemitism when Brazil faces so many other challenges?
Because the persecution of Jews has historically served as a warning sign of broader threats to freedom.
Jews are often described as the canaries in the coal mine of democracy. Just as miners once used canaries to detect dangerous gases, rising antisemitism can reveal deeper problems within a society.
From Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union and authoritarian regimes elsewhere, the persecution of Jews has frequently accompanied the spread of conspiracy theories, political repression, and attacks on other minorities.
Antisemitism is therefore not merely a threat to Jewish communities. It is also a warning about the erosion of democratic values and institutions.
This is why, regardless of who governs Brazil, my commitment remains unchanged. I will continue to speak out against antisemitism, whether it comes from the left or the right, from supporters of Israel or from its critics.
After all, how can we claim to defend minorities and oppose fascism while turning a blind eye to hatred against the very people who were the principal targets of the Nazi regime?
Fighting antisemitism is not about choosing sides in an election. It is about defending democracy itself.
