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Despite being one of the founders of the BRICS, Lula now seems committed to pro-Western political groups.
Written by Lucas Leiroz, researcher in Social Sciences at the Rural Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; geopolitical consultant.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the second round of the presidential elections in Brazil. The leftist candidate will inaugurate in January 2023 and promises to put an end to the legacy of Jair Bolsonaro, marked by terrible economic policies and an unstable diplomacy. There are many expectations of improvements with Lula. Analysts hope he will bring social improvements to the country and cooperate with BRICS’ partners. However, there are also those who see the situation from a more critical point of view and find many differences between the current Lula and that one of previous terms.
Throughout the electoral process, polls indicated Lula’s victory as the most likely scenario. Some of the country’s main institutes even indicated that Lula would win in the first round. However, the institutes were wrong in their mathematical data. Lula’s victory took place, but it was not so easily as the polls were predicting. There was a second round and Lula received 50.9% of the votes, while Bolsonaro reached 49.1%. It was a small advantage, revealing high levels of polarization in Brazilian society. In practice, the result, although sufficient to elect Lula, proved wrong the narrative that was being spread by the local left parties, that there was a national “democratic mobilization” to overthrow Bolsonaro.
Despite having worsened the living conditions of the people through a disastrous economic policy, guided by the neoliberal agenda, Bolsonaro remains really popular. Brazil is once again part of the hunger map and has reached high food, fuel and energy prices, but even so, the preference for Bolsonaro is great among the most conservative sectors of Brazilian society, which includes not only the middle classes, but a considerable part of the low-income populations.
The reason for this is quite simple: most of the Brazilian people is conservative. The institutions historically most trusted by the population are the Catholic Church and the Brazilian Army, which are groups linked to more reactionary political positions. It is a people “accustomed” to a long history of material scarcity and social problems, but who for cultural and religious reasons prioritize politicians with a conservative discourse over politicians aligned with the ideas of the Western “new-left”. Not by chance, despite being supported by the most radical leftist groups, Lula changed his speech a lot during the campaign, even making statements against agendas such as abortion and “gender ideology”, which undoubtedly helped him to achieve victory.
In fact, the defeat in the presidential dispute did not mean a “political death” for Bolsonaro. Analyzing the result of the elections, it is possible to see that Bolsonaro obtained a wide advantage in the Congress. In most states, right-wing senators and deputies were elected on a large scale, which makes Lula’s parliamentary situation very delicate for the next four years. His victory did not mean reaching massive support in the Congress, with predictions that the left-wing government will have great difficulty in passing bills that contradict the interests of groups linked to Bolsonaro.
However, this is just one of the challenges that Lula will face. The president-elect will have to deal not only with the difficulties created by the opposition, but also with those created by his own allies. To defeat Bolsonaro and return to power, Lula accepted delicate agreements with Brazilian and foreign political and economic groups. The “anti-Bolsonaro coalition” included liberal parties, the mainstream media, the artistic class, and other sectors historically unconcerned with the interests of the poorest population (who votes for Lula). Also, at the international level, Lula was not only supported by the traditional Latin American left, but also by European and American liberal politicians.
For example, Lula on several occasions promised to promote an “international administration” of the Amazon Forest, having even personally promised this to Olaf Scholz in 2021. It explains why, after his victory, the Soros-funded NGO Amazon Watch published on twitter: “We’ re heartened that Bolsonaro, who oversaw colossal destruction of the Amazon and policies imperiling Earth Defenders, did not prevail today. We stand with Brazil’s Indigenous movement, now and in the years ahead. The struggle for the rainforest & its peoples continues”.
Indeed, Lula will be demanded to have a more submissive international posture with regard to the Western elites. And this will be his biggest problem. The great dilemma for the president-elect will be to balance the interests of his historic allies (BRICS and emerging countries) with the ones of his new “friends” (US and EU politicians, global NGOs). So, for these reasons, it is premature to think that Lula’s return is a kind of “victory for the multipolar world”. It is unlikely that there will be substantial changes in the current situation of Brazil – both domestically and in international relations.
Anything that puts a stop to the neoliberal order must be welcomed. Speaking from Europe, what is most admirable about Latin America is the fact that the left managed somehow to keep true to itself and anchored to its socialist roots. Something that in Europe is no longer an option for the Biden style demoncrazies.
You are right about Europe. We have stepped above that level of left and right as in the old days.
The main problems for the socialisme in fx South America is, they can make people produce supported by procedures by that.
I makes no sense to share as long as there is nothing to share.
Thats is and was exact the same for venewzuala no matter if was right instead of left. The main problems is to produce something to share.
Apart form that there is no neoliberalisme anymore. It was as assumed by many a big mistake. Some milder versions of conservativ or liberal origin anytime is better.
Oh yes very socialist….starvation empoverishment plenty corruption…masonry satanics ELECTIONS RIGGED
The nation is already getting ready for political unrest and possibly even civil conflict. I dont think this dude will be able to hold power for long seen who is really behind him, and seen most brazilians would not support his libtard new positions, specially considering most of them hate the current EU leaders
Im worried too. To me he is too big mouth so we dont see there hardly is no brain for the future behind him.
Sometimes peole elect the too old horses because they know what they get.
We have such one in the lections in Denamrk tomorrow to the parlament. He had to resign some years ago but has made his own. He seemes to get 10%. Thats a lot in a cpuntry with many small parties. Im so surpriced.
Just as Lula he has made too many mistakes.
Beaners should stick to their shitty bean pot.
Tempting just to reflect a NOTHING.
Brazilia has so many internal problems. Focus should be there. It makes sense.
YESSS W LULA!!!!!! Bolzonazi, amazonian indios are waiting for you!!!
Bolsonaro stinks
Holy shite you’re an idiot. Does that hurt?
A sobering summary
Lula is a very hard politician, his emergence from prison to regain the presidency is proof of that. It should be remembered that it was the Americans who engineered his overthrow and wal street who eagerly welcomed Bolsanaro into power. I doubt Lula has already forgotten this. Moreover his perennial enemies, the US republican party are likely to gain in the midterm US elections.. Russian and Chinese diplomacy should be prepared to fully exploit these factors
Let the americans trip over themselves to try to kiss Lulas ass..the CIA and US state department put him in prison and now hes in power again…they had better try to kiss his ass, it seems
Lula’s return means more gay parades, gay marriages, trans politicians, petty thieves, gangs, putas, socialist corruption, sell out of Amazonas to European big de-forester Cooperations, squeezing of Brazilian Fazendeiros and small miners (who “destroy the environment”) in favour of eco-friendly Wall Street Bankers from NYC. Thats what Lula’s return means for the brics and nobody can do a shit about it.
Va**inations. You forgot the va**inations, God bless the va**inations, oh sorry, the leftist va**ers don’t believe into God, but maybe in Stalin and Pol Pot. The Holy Pol Pot bless the va**inations.
Lula is proven corrupt jailbait. Only in a banana republic will something like Lula surface.
Lula was elected because of globo tv. Let me explain: Bolsonaro cut all the million dollar salaries that globo was paying to (lgbt / blm / west supportive) singers and celebrities. Lula is going to reinstate this. So you can guess which candidate MSM media supports overwhelmingly.
Also Lula has promised to liberalize values and release many criminals from prison. As a result he is able to go in the most dangerous favelas in Rio and walk there without police escort. And talking about the police: From police friends I have heard that they were not let close to Lula when police wanted to receive Lula in their city with honours. They were literally told to stay far away, by Lula himself. I guess pictures of Lula together with local cops are not the publicity he wants. Sounds very Western progressive to me.
In short: everybody pro gay, prison population, government support dependent, socialist, voted Lula. Everybody conservative, working class, with Christian values Brazilian is appalled.
Brazil basically thinks they elected Santa Claus. Except this time Lula will govern over Brazil in a time with the world economy in crisis, whereas during his first reign the world economy was booming. Lula can’t do the only thing he knows (playing Santa Claus) without financially destroying Brazil by creating trans-generational debt to foreign parties.
In addition to the previous: even many Bolsonaro voters are not big fans of Bolsonaro. A lot of Bolsonaro votes are votes against Lula. A lot of people think Bolsonaro handled many things wrong, e.g. the deforrestation.
When I wrote Lula (translation is Squid) can walk in those favelas without escort, that is not something to be romantisized. The favelas are ruled by criminals that are not known for their good morals. No Robin Hood there.
Peculiar about Bolsonaro was his stance against the corona vaccine, which also made him greatly impopular with the Western powers, rightly or wrongly so. It appears Bolsonaro had a mind of his own and was not led in everything by external powers.
And to understand the power of Globo TV: Globo is like CNN, NBC, BBC together in Brazil. By far the biggest and most influential media company in Brazil.
Trans generational debt is the expertise of the West, but Lula is an opportunist who will not shy away from indebting his country with China / India (if he can), and if he thinks BRICS is the way to go.
Lula is George Soros’s puppet. He will obey the Great Satan (USA) or he will be impeached and replaced by Alckmin. BRICS will become RICS. Brazil sucks, unfortunately I live in this shithole.
I remember when Bolsonaro came to power, and everybody was against him, stating that he was working with the CIA. So I found it interesting that he was quite loyal and supportive to BRICS. Have no idea what is what and who is who, but, do know that those behind Ukraine, would love to see Brazil have similar problems, just to cause trouble with BRICS. Wish BRICS and Brazil well, as no doubt stormy days are coming.
I remember too, when Bolsonaro came to power and when he first went to the USA, he was at CIA headquarters. Well he ended up being a surprise in the end, as he cautious of Covid Jabs. He even continued to do business with Russia against US wishes. Let’s hope for the best and see; as their are others coming to join BRICKS and the SCO. The US and Natostan are angry; as their is no chance in hell to beat Russia on Ukraine. Lots of nuclear bluster with new NATO entries but they will have a get by Turkey a day Hungry. These countries are not interested in more Nukes and Third World War going nuclear in their backyard and expect this issue to continue to be blocked in NATO. China and Russia should send a couple hundred aircraft off the North Korean coast. Send clear message to US NUCLEAR bombers in Australia. It might be time to up the anti of military deployment in the Western Hemisphere next to US. However, I’m sure Chinese and Russian nuclear subs off Eastern and Western US coast.