Why the Right Is Boycotting Havaianas Flip-Flops

For decades, Havaianas flip-flops have been a beloved global symbol of Brazilian culture, worn by millions of people each day. They are now ensnared in a political fight.

Few wardrobe items are as Brazilian as a brand of bright rubber flip-flops.

Millions of people slip on the ubiquitous sandals — made by the Brazilian company Havaianas — to go to the beach or lounge at home, to run errands or meet friends at the bar.

Even as political divisions have splintered Latin America’s largest nation, its unwavering love of Havaianas flip-flops was something most could agree on. “Everyone wears them,” the company’s slogan boasts. “Everyone loves them.”

That is, until Brazil’s favorite flip-flop was suddenly swept up in a political firestorm.

The trouble started with the beginning of a new holiday campaign by Havaianas this week, starring the popular Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres. In a commercial for the flip-flops, Ms. Torres playfully urges Brazilians not to start the New Year “on the right foot,” playing on a popular expression of good luck.

“Start the new year with both feet — both feet in the door, both feet on the road, both feet in the game,” said Ms. Torres, 60, whose performance in the Oscar-winning film “I’m Still Here,” about Brazil’s brutal military dictatorship, catapulted her to global stardom last year and cemented her reputation in the country as a progressive icon.

The backlash from Brazilian conservatives was swift. Prominent right-wing voices, including the sons of former President Jair Bolsonaro, saw the advertisement as political messaging aimed at their movement ahead of what is likely to be a momentous presidential election next year.

In a video on social media, Eduardo Bolsonaro, one of the former president’s sons, called for a boycott of the sandals. “I thought this here was a national symbol,” he said, holding a pair of black Havaianas flip-flops adorned with a small Brazilian flag.

“I was wrong,” he added, tossing the sandals in a trash can.

Some of Mr. Bolsonaro’s allies vowed to switch to flip-flops made by competitors — or even abandon the quintessential Brazilian sandals in favor of Crocs.

Havaianas did not respond to questions about the criticisms swirling around its advertising campaign. A spokeswoman for Ms. Torres declined to comment. During promotional tours for “I’m Still Here,” Ms. Torres made clear her opposition to Jair Bolsonaro.

The online controversy flared up simmering political divisions in Brazil, which intensified this year as the country’s Supreme Court sentenced Mr. Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup after losing the last presidential election. His trial divided the country, igniting demonstrations on both the left and the right.

Since his conviction, lawmakers aligned with Mr. Bolsonaro have been mulling ways to grant the former leader amnesty or reduce his sentence, giving hope to his right-wing supporters but angering many Brazilians who believe these attempts are perpetuating the nation’s long history of impunity.

Mr. Bolsonaro remains a powerful political force on the right even though his conviction has barred him from office for life. In his absence, another one of his sons is expected to challenge President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2026. In a poll this month, about 40 percent of Brazilians said they would vote for Mr. Lula, a leftist, while about a quarter planned to cast their ballot for Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president’s son.

The Havaianas commercial, which premiered on the first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere and just days before Christmas, struck a nerve among conservative Brazilians who saw it as a thinly veiled attempt to urge Brazilians not to vote for right-wing candidates.

The Havaianas flip-flops were first created in Brazil in 1962, inspired by the Japanese zori sandals made with woven rice soles. Cheap and durable, the flip-flops quickly gained popularity and became deeply ingrained in Brazilian daily life.

Today, some 250 million pairs of Havaianas sandals are sold in over 100 countries each year, according to the company’s website. In Brazil, many refer to flip-flops simply as “Havaianas” and stuff Christmas stockings with the footwear. Beyond Brazil, Havaianas sandals have become a coveted fashion item, appearing on the feet of runway models around the world.

In a Havaianas store in Rio de Janeiro this week, shoppers jostled in front of rows of candy-colored flip-flops. Some models were simple and sturdy, others were decorated with exotic flowers or birds. Children pointed to tiny versions stamped with Mickey Mouse and Captain America. One woman slipped on a glittery sandal adorned with rhinestones.

Outside the shop, Cristina Galvão, a 73-year-old doctor, scoffed as she rushed past the brightly lit storefront. “Everyone wears them — but won’t anymore,” she said. “We’re boycotting them to show that this advertisement is ridiculous. It’s shameful leftist propaganda.”

Others did not understand the brouhaha. To Rosileia Moreira, a 49-year-old human resources worker, there was nothing political about the ad. “People made a big deal out of nothing,” she said, swinging a colorful bag as she left the Havaianas store with a new pair of flip-flops.

“This is not the left or the right,” Ms. Moreira said, adding, “to put on a pair of flip-flops and enjoy the beach, that’s Brazil.”

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