The well-known Brazilian flip-flop brand Havaianas is faced with a boycott call from politicians in Brazil. The trigger is a commercial that was classified as anti-law in the run-up to next year’s presidential election.
In a video posted on the brand’s social media channels, actress Fernanda Torres urges audiences to “start 2026 not on the right foot” but “with both feet.” Torres stars in the Brazilian film ‘Ainda Estou Aqui’ (‘I’m Still Here’), which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
The advertisement sparked outrage and sometimes violent reactions in the conservative camp. One of them came from one of Jair Bolsonaro’s sons. Bolsonaro is the former far-right president who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for an attempted coup.
In an Instagram video, Eduardo Bolsonaro throws a pair of black Havaianas flip-flops into the trash. Bolsonaro, who lives in the United States, shows off the shoes, which are identified by their straps with a small Brazilian flag.
“Havaianas used to be a national symbol. I saw a lot of foreigners wearing this Brazilian flag on their feet (…), but I’m sorry, I’ll throw the flip-flops in the trash,” he says in the video. Bolsonaro lost his seat in parliament because he exceeded the permitted number of days of absence.
“Havaianas has chosen its side. The right has chosen the boycott,” conservative congressman Rodrigo Valadares posted on X.
Right-wing influencers like Thiago Asmar also reacted. Asmar, who has more than two million followers on Instagram, said: “I burn my feet on the asphalt, but Havaianas, never again.”
The Alpargatas Group, owner of the brand, did not respond to AFP’s queries. The company employs 10,000 people. According to its LinkedIn page, it sold 226.6 million pairs of flip-flops in 2024, most of them in Brazil.
The controversy also resonated on the left side of the political spectrum. MP Duda Salabert condemned the “idiotic attacks”.
According to the MPs, the boycott call is endangering jobs in their Minas Gerais region in southeastern Brazil. One of the brand’s factories is located there.
Fernanda Torres, a sympathizer of the Brazilian left, won the Golden Globe for best actress. She was also nominated for an Oscar for her role in ‘Ainda Estou Aqui’.
The film by director Walter Salles tells of the years of military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985. This time is often viewed with nostalgia in those around Bolsonaro.
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