President Jair Bolsonaro awarded writer Olavo de Carvalho the highest Rio Branco Order, an honor given by the Brazilian government to “distinguish meritable services and civic virtues, and to stimulate the practice of worthy actions and deeds.” Bolsonaro recognized Olavo with the Grand Cross degree of the order.
The Rio Branco Order was created in 1963 and honors the patron of Brazilian diplomacy. It consists of five levels: Grand Cross (highest), Great Officer, Commander, Officer, and Knight, as well as an accompanying medal.
Olavo de Carvalho, living in the United States since 2005, is considered the ideological guru of Bolsonaro’s sons and the ministers Ernesto Araújo (Foreign Minister) and Abraham Weintraub (Education)
Bolsonar also recognized 34 other people with the same Grã-Cruz honor.
The following public authorities received the honor: vice-president Mourão, the president of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (DEM-AP); the minister of Justice, Sergio Moro, and minister of the Economy, Paulo Guedes; the governors of São Paulo, João Doria, of Rio de Janeiro, Wilson Witzel, and of Mines Gerais, Romeu Zema.
The president of the Federal Court of Auditors, José Mucio and high-ranking military members were also honored with the same award.
As president of the Republic, Bolsonaro is the Rio Branco Order grandmaster.
Bolsonaro honored Olavo with the highest award, which according to the rules of the order, is reserved for specific authorities.
The rules, available on the Itamaraty website, say that the Grand Cross can be given to the President of the Republic and to the Vice President; the presidents of the Chamber, the Senate and the STF (Supreme Federal Court); to ministers, governors and high-ranking military officers, in addition to "foreign ambassadors and other personalities of equivalent rank."
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon