This thesis analyzes the convergences and divergences between the anti-environmental ideas of
agribusiness interest groups and the socio-environmental policies formulated and implemented
during the government of Jair Bolsonaro (2019 to 2022). In the presidential elections of 2018
and 2022, Bolsonaro received support from representative interest groups within the
agribusiness sector, mainly due to his alignment with their ideas. Examples include the
relaxation of environmental legislation and oversight, opposition to the demarcation of
indigenous lands, criticism of environmental social movements, the militarization of rural areas,
and the liberalization of agrochemicals, among others. Agribusiness leaders participated in the
federal government, occupying high-ranking positions such as secretaries and ministers. Given
this context, I conducted an analytical focus on the main representative groups of agribusiness
highlighted in the literature. Among them are: the Brazilian Soybean Producers Association,
the Parliamentary Front for Agriculture, the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of
Brazil, and the Brazilian Agribusiness Association. The research employed a qualitative
methodology, utilizing documentary analysis and thematic content analysis to categorize the
anti-environmental ideas present in the documents of the analyzed interest groups and in the
Bolsonaro government. From this analysis, the convergences and divergences of antienvironmental ideas in federal socio-environmental policies, institutional actions, and
legislative projects related to Jair Bolsonaro's administration were assessed. The categories of
policies analyzed included control and oversight of deforestation, anti-environmental
legislative proposals from the Executive Branch, demarcation of indigenous lands,
liberalization of agrochemicals, changes in environmental licensing regulations, and land tenure
regulation. The theoretical analytical model used was discursive and ideational
neoinstitutionalism, which considers the institutions and interests related to the ideas of political
actors within a specific political, social, and institutional context. The results demonstrate that
the anti-environmental ideas of agribusiness interest groups were present in the formulation and
implementation of socio-environmental policies during the elections and the government of Jair
Bolsonaro, particularly in anti-environmental and anti-indigenous policies. The Brazilian
Soybean Producers Association and the Parliamentary Front for Agriculture showed significant
convergence with the policies implemented during Bolsonaro's term, supporting his election in
2018 and 2022 and participating directly in the federal government structure. The
Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil also exhibited convergence between its
anti-environmental ideas and Bolsonaro’s policies, particularly in the relaxation of
environmental licensing, liberalization of agrochemicals, opposition to the demarcation of
indigenous lands, and changes in land policies. The Brazilian Agribusiness Association
diverged from the main agribusiness groups regarding certain anti-environmental ideas of the
government and did not support Bolsonaro's election in 2018 and 2022. However, this group
converged with ideas contained in specific government policies related to environmental
licensing and the relaxation of agrochemical approvals, as well as being favorable to the
temporal framework regarding indigenous lands. Thus, it is evident that the anti-environmental
ideas of the main interest groups in Brazilian agribusiness were present during Jair Bolsonaro's
administration. Through infralegal acts, appointments of agribusiness leaders, changes through
normative instructions and provisional measures, budget cuts, legislative projects, and other
actions, the government managed to leverage institutional conditions favorable to the antienvironmental ideas of these groups. This thesis demonstrates how specific ideas of interest
groups can be implemented within a governmental administration, particularly within the
Brazilian institutional context.
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