Historic comeback for Lula. The 77-year-old former steelworker will begin his third term as head of Brazil on January 1, 12 years after leaving power on record popularity (87%) and after a long period in prison.
Cheered by an impressive red tide of hundreds of thousands of supporters massed on Avenida Paulista in Sao Paulo, Lula advocated “peace and unity” after his election by a short head to the presidency of Brazil on Sunday. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won 50.9% of the vote in the second round, against 49.1% for far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who had still not appeared. The gap, of less than two percentage points, is the tightest between two presidential finalists since the return to democracy after the military dictatorship (1964-1985).
“In any country in the world, the defeated candidate would have already called me to recognize his defeat. He still hasn’t called me, I don’t know if he will call and if he will recognize” his defeat , Lula continued, addressing his supporters. “I wish I was just happy, but I’m half happy, half worried,” he insisted. The silence of the outgoing head of state was disturbing, including on social networks, where he is usually very active. It is the first time that a Brazilian president has failed in his bid for re-election. This summer, L’Express had mentioned this dreaded scenario of a Bolsonaro clinging to power.
Congratulations from Macron, Biden… and Putin
“From January 1, I will govern for the 215 million Brazilian men and women, not just those who voted for me,” recalled the man on the left.
Lula was quickly praised by several foreign leaders, from Joe Biden to Vladimir Putin. The American president hailed his “free and fair” election and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron considered that his victory “opens a new page in the history of Brazil”. Newly appointed British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meanwhile expressed his “eagerness” to work with Lula in a tweet. Just like the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau who hopes to strengthen the partnership with Brazil “to advance our common priorities – like the protection of the environment”, he tweeted. The success of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil during the presidential election against the outgoing far-right head of state Jair Bolsonaro is a victory for “democracy” and the “climate”, finally estimated Monday the head of German diplomacy.
More surprisingly, Vladimir Putin also sent his congratulations to Luiz Inacio da Silva and said he wanted to develop “constructive cooperation” with him, the Kremlin said. “Please accept my sincere congratulations (…) The results of the election have confirmed your great political authority,” the Kremlin chief said in a telegram addressed to Lula. Beijing also wants to strengthen its partnership with Brazil after the election of the Democrat, assured in the morning the country led by Xi Jinping.
In Latin America, many leaders also congratulated Lula. “Your victory opens a new era in the history of Latin America. A time of hope and a future that begins today,” Argentina President Alberto Fernandez wrote. “Long live the peoples determined to be free, sovereign and independent! Today in Brazil democracy has triumphed, congratulations Lula, I kiss you hard!”, Rejoiced President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela. More soberly, Chilean President Gabriel Boric wrote on Twitter: “Lula. Joy”.
“Our country is too big to be relegated to the sad role of pariah”, declared the president-elect in his victory speech, assuring that Brazil was “back” on the international scene. Lula also touched on the hot topic of the Amazon, where deforestation and fires have risen sharply under Jair Bolsonaro.
“Brazil is ready to play a leading role again in the fight against climate change. Brazil and the planet need a living Amazon,” he said. “The nightmare is finally over. Lula must act firmly and quickly on the environment,” reacted the NGO collective Observatoire du Climat.
The Bolsonarists were particularly bitter. But several important allies of Jair Bolsonaro have admitted defeat, such as former anti-corruption judge Sergio Moro. “Democracy is like this. I will be in the opposition in 2023,” tweeted the man who had sent Lula to prison. Twelve governors of Brazilian states were also elected on Sunday, including the close friend of the far-right outgoing president, Tarcisio de Freitas in the state of Sao Paulo, the most populous and richest in Brazil.