RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro has been chosen as the personality of the year by a vote of Time magazine readers, the publication reported Tuesday.
According to the magazine, 24% of the over 9 million votes considered that the Brazilian President had great influence – whether positive or negative – during the year. Former U.S. President Donald Trump came in second, with 9% of the vote.
This is not yet the final vote, but a step with votes from the magazine’s readers preceding the final stage, when the magazine’s editors vote among the pre-selected names for the 2021 personality. The final results will be announced on December 13.
Time refers to Bolsonaro as a “controversial” leader and recalls his plans to run for re-election in 2022 amid growing rejection over the economic direction of his government.
The magazine also cites criticism from politicians, the judiciary, and health experts of his handling of the health crisis triggered by Covid-19 and his skepticism about vaccines.
The news was announced by Labor Minister Onyx Lorenzoni at a ceremony to sign authorization terms for the use of radio frequencies by the 5G auction band winning companies and celebrated by the President.
“Whoever voted for me thank you very much, you voted well,” Bolsonaro said.
POPULAR VOTE
Behind Bolsonaro and Trump, emerging as the most voted in Time’s 2021 popular election are frontline professionals in the fight against the coronavirus (6.3%), Russian anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny (6%), and scientists who developed the Covid-19 vaccine (5.3%).
In 2020, key professionals in the fight against the pandemic won and in second place was physician Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases – who fought misinformation against the coronavirus and became one of the main targets of Trumpist network attacks.
Firefighters took third place, activists from the Black Lives Matter movement took fourth, taking over from current U.S. President Joe Biden.