Dom Phillips, a Guardian contributor and British journalist, was killed on 5 May 2022 alongside Brazilian indigenous expert Bruno Pereira while conducting research near the Javari Valley. The case has renewed attention to Phillips’ earlier warnings about the dangers posed by far-right politics in Brazil, particularly as the nation prepares for a presidential runoff this Sunday featuring Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
In communications from 2018, Phillips expressed deep concerns about Jair Bolsonaro’s candidacy, describing him and his supporters as showing “all signs of fascism” and predicting increased danger for journalists and environmental destruction. He noted the rise of hostile rhetoric toward media figures and a growing acceptance of political violence. Phillips observed Bolsonaro supporters booing journalists at press conferences and documented escalating online hostility following his own attempts to question the president about Amazon deforestation.
During Bolsonaro’s 2019-2022 presidency, Phillips’ predictions materialized significantly. The administration oversaw the highest level of Amazon deforestation of any presidential term, with approximately 45,000 square kilometers lost—59.5% higher than the previous four-year period. The government’s COVID-19 response resulted in over 704,000 deaths, the second-highest toll globally after the United States. Additionally, misinformation campaigns blamed environmental groups for forest fires while falsely claiming the government was protecting the rainforest.
Phillips himself became a target of politically motivated attacks after respectfully questioning Bolsonaro about deforestation. The president’s dismissive response was widely circulated on social media. Current polling suggests Flávio Bolsonaro holds a narrow lead over incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in this Sunday’s runoff, though the margin falls within the error range. The case of Phillips and his prescient warnings about institutional threats have taken on heightened significance as Brazilians approach the election.
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