Brazil's New Government Tries to Cut Toxic Pork From Politics

  • President-elect Bolsonaro staffs cabinet ignoring party chiefs
  • New government mixes economists, military types and moralists
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For better or worse, Brazilian presidents and parties have long relied on pork-barrel politics and other favors to get things done. President-elect Jair Bolsonaro is trying a different tack.

Traditionally leaders of Latin America’s largest nation have had to offer ministerial posts to allied parties to form a working majority in a Congress that has more than two dozen parties. But following years of corruption scandals that pummeled trust in Brazil’s political establishment, Bolsonaro has chosen his cabinet ignoring powerful party bosses.