It’s not easy to leave the orbit of a superpower, or not to be influenced by it. In addition to cinema, TV, music and a whole history of closeness and foreign relations, the internet has brought new elements that help explain the export of conspiracy theories from the U.S. to other parts of the world—notably to Brazil and Latin America.

QAnon, anti-vaxxers, flat-Earthers, they are all creations of lunatics based in the U.S. and often support former President Donald Trump. But now they are everywhere.

Conspiracy theories spread in the most prosaic ways: often, people just want to believe in something or have a sense of community; they want to find meaning. In general, during periods of social crisis, with profound social and economic changes, such theories tend to gain ground.

Full article at Newsweek’s website. Date of publication: 04/02/2021.