BBB Bench
| Part of a series on |
| Conservatism in Brazil |
|---|
In Brazilian politics, the BBB Bench is a collective term used to informally describe three powerful political factions (bancadas, literally "benches") in the National Congress associated with the conservative right:
- Bullet Bench (bancada da bala), legislators supportive of protecting and expanding gun rights;
- Rural Bench (bancada ruralista), often referred to as the bancada do boi (Ox Bench), legislators aligned with agribusiness interests.
- Evangelical Bench (bancada evangélica, often referred to as the bancada da bíblia), aligned with the country's evangelical movement.
The term “BBB” was used for the first time by federal deputy Erika Kokay at a meeting of the Workers' Party (PT) bench in the Chamber of Deputies in early 2015, eliciting laughter from colleagues. 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.
The BBB Bench played a crucial role in the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff. Even prior to Dilma's impeachment, the BBB Bench had already begun pressuring centre-right Vice President Michel Temer to support their proposals. In the 2018 presidential election, federal deputy Jair Bolsonaro, a member of the BBB Bench, was elected President of Brazil.