--- title: "Brazil congressional candidate channels Donald Trump" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/brazil-congressional-candidate-channels-donald-trump" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/brazil-congressional-candidate-channels-donald-trump" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/brazil-congressional-candidate-channels-donald-trump.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/brazil-congressional-candidate-channels-donald-trump" category: "Politics" published: "2026-09-30T16:25:28.968Z" source_reported: "2026-09-30T15:55:52.000Z" updated: "2026-09-30T16:25:28.968Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 59 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-30T16:15:29.440672+00:00" --- # Brazil congressional candidate channels Donald Trump *Plínio Vicentin Júnior is running for Congress, impersonating the former US president.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. One outlet provided a full report, with the central claim attributed to a named individual. - Craft 59 of 100, higher is better. The reporting clearly separates fact from comment and provides specific details. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. The language used is measured and proportionate, with no sensationalism. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Plínio Vicentin Júnior is running for Congress in Brazil, impersonating Donald Trump. - Other novelty candidates include those impersonating Barack Obama and Mick Jagger. - Brazil's tradition of novelty candidates dates back to 1959. - Votes for these candidates can benefit their parties under Brazil's proportional representation system. Plínio Vicentin Júnior, a 59-year-old helicopter pilot, is running for Congress in Brazil. He is channeling former US President Donald Trump, adopting his hairstyle, long orange tie, and mannerisms. Júnior campaigns as "Plínio Trump" in the state of Minas Gerais. He told The Associated Press that Trump is "likeable, iconic" and that most people smile at him. Candidates like Júnior are part of a Brazilian tradition of "joke" or protest candidates that has existed for nearly eight decades. These candidates must belong to a political party and meet the same eligibility requirements as others. This year, hundreds of such candidates are among more than 7,800 running for Congress. The votes cast for novelty candidates contribute to their parties' totals under Brazil's proportional representation system. This means that votes for these candidates can help their parties win more seats in Congress and secure more public funds. Political science professor Carlos Melo stated that this system allows some candidates to win seats with their own votes, while others merely add to their parties' totals. Other novelty candidates in the current election cycle include Henrique Barack Obama, born Cláudio Henrique dos Anjos, who is seeking a Senate seat, and Walcy Calixto Vieira, known as Mick Jagger, who is running for a seat in the legislature of the state of Goias. Samurai Taxi Driver, whose real name is Severino Cardoso Sobrinho, is also running for a state legislature. Brazil's tradition of novelty candidates dates back to 1959, when voters wrote in the name of Cacareco, a rhinoceros from the city zoo, for a city council election. The practice saw a resurgence after Brazil's return to national elections in 1989. A notable example is Tiririca, a circus clown who won a congressional seat in 2010 with over 1.3 million votes and has served multiple terms. ## Disagreement on candidate's party Plínio Vicentin Júnior is running with the Novo Party, according to WBAL. However, the full report from HuffPost does not specify which party Júnior is running with. ## What the coverage left out None of the left or centre-rated reports mention the specific number of votes Plínio Vicentin Júnior is aiming for, nor do they provide details on the specific congressional seat he is contesting beyond "for Congress." ## Who covered it Shares of the 11 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 36% (4) - Centre: 64% (7) - Right: 0% (0) 0 of 11 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-30T16:15:29.440672+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 3 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-30T17:00:53.603Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Left-rated reports led on Plínio Vicentin Júnior's impersonation of Donald Trump and the broader tradition of novelty candidates in Brazil. The reports highlighted figures like Júnior, Henrique Barack Obama, and Mick Jagger. They also detailed the historical roots of this tradition, mentioning the rhinoceros Cacareco from 1959 and the clown Tiririca, who won a congressional seat. The proportional representation system and how votes for novelty candidates benefit their parties were also explained. ### Centre - Centre-rated reports focused on the novelty candidates themselves, naming Plínio Trump, Mick Jagger, and Samurai Taxi Driver as examples. These reports noted that these candidates bring a "surreal element" to elections by impersonating famous figures. The tradition of joke candidates in Brazil, which dates back decades, was also mentioned as a way for voters to express frustration with the political system. The role these candidates play in boosting their parties' votes and securing public funds was also a point of emphasis. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 6 - veryHigh: 5 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/plinio-trump-brazil-joke-candidates-barack-obama-b3059195.html) — Brazil congressional candidate channels Donald Trump to draw votes - [HuffPost](https://huffpost.com/entry/brazils-tradition-of-joke-candidates-is-alive-and-kicking_n_6abd2659e4b0e84f837c95c6) — Brazil's Tradition Of Joke Candidates Is Alive And Kicking - [The Washington Post](https://washingtonpost.com/world/2026/09/30/brazil-joke-candidates-election-congress-plinio-trump/a861d82c-bcdc-11f1-81fc-9b76f8343b6c_story.html) — Plinio Trump, Mick Jagger and Samurai Taxi Driver keep Brazil's tradition of joke candidates alive - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/plinio-trump-mick-jagger-and-samurai-taxi-driver-keep-brazils-tradition-of-joke-candidates-alive) — Plínio Trump, Mick Jagger and Samurai Taxi Driver keep Brazil’s tradition of joke candidates alive - [WBAL](https://wbal.com/plinio-trump-mick-jagger-and-samurai-taxi-driver-keep-brazils-tradition-of-joke-candidates-alive) — Plínio Trump, Mick Jagger and Samurai Taxi Driver keep Brazil's t - [Newsday](https://newsday.com/news/nation/brazil-joke-candidates-election-congress-plinio-trump-r27139) — Plínio Trump, Mick Jagger and Samurai Taxi Driver keep Brazil's tradition of joke candidates alive - [Chronicle Online](https://chronicleonline.com/news/odd/pl-nio-trump-mick-jagger-and-samurai-taxi-driver-keep-brazils-tradition-of-joke-candidates/article_b2448139-587d-5878-b64f-807016f377d1.html) — Plínio Trump, Mick Jagger and Samurai Taxi Driver keep Brazil's tradition of joke candidates alive - [WPLG](https://local10.com/news/world/2026/09/30/plinio-trump-mick-jagger-and-samurai-taxi-driver-keep-brazils-tradition-of-joke-candidates-alive) — Plínio Trump, Mick Jagger and Samurai Taxi Driver keep Brazil's tradition of joke candidates alive - [WKMG](https://clickorlando.com/news/world/2026/09/30/plinio-trump-mick-jagger-and-samurai-taxi-driver-keep-brazils-tradition-of-joke-candidates-alive) — Plínio Trump, Mick Jagger and Samurai Taxi Driver keep Brazil's tradition of joke candidates alive - [KOB 4](https://kob.com/ap-top-news/plinio-trump-mick-jagger-and-samurai-taxi-driver-keep-brazils-tradition-of-joke-candidates-alive) — Plínio Trump, Mick Jagger and Samurai Taxi Driver keep Brazil's tradition of joke candidates alive - [KPRC-TV](https://click2houston.com/news/world/2026/09/30/plinio-trump-mick-jagger-and-samurai-taxi-driver-keep-brazils-tradition-of-joke-candidates-alive) — Plínio Trump, Mick Jagger and Samurai Taxi Driver keep Brazil's tradition of joke candidates alive ## Questions **Who is Plínio Vicentin Júnior?** Plínio Vicentin Júnior is a 59-year-old helicopter pilot running for Congress in Brazil. He is impersonating former US President Donald Trump, adopting his hairstyle, attire, and mannerisms as part of his campaign. **What is the tradition of novelty candidates in Brazil?** Brazil has a long tradition of "joke" or protest candidates who impersonate famous figures or adopt unusual personas. This practice dates back to 1959 and allows voters to express dissatisfaction with the political system. Candidates like the circus clown Tiririca have successfully won congressional seats. **How do novelty candidates affect Brazilian elections?** Votes cast for novelty candidates are added to their political parties' totals under Brazil's proportional representation system. This can help their parties gain more seats in Congress and increase their share of public funds, even if the novelty candidate does not win their individual seat. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/brazil-congressional-candidate-channels-donald-trump. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Brazil congressional candidate channels Donald Trump", https://mediabias.news/politics/brazil-congressional-candidate-channels-donald-trump