How Lula came back after defeating a sitting president

narrowly winning the direct run-off of the presidential election in Brazil (gaining only 50.9% of the vote), Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva achieved what had never happened in the country’s 34-year democratic history – defeating an incumbent president seeking re-election. President Jair Bolsonaro’s Defeat Shouldn’t be a surprise either. After all, he presided over a faltering economy and exacerbated a dire public health crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also received international disapproval for the massive deforestation in the Amazon.

Such a formidable legacy should have resulted in an easy victory for popular ex-Union leader Lula, who after serving two terms as president in the early 2000s received a more than 80% approval rating and was voted to govern. Who worked towards reducing and promoting poverty. Economic growth by taking advantage of the rapidly growing global commodity market. But Lula also had to work hard to protect his legacy, after being found guilty of corruption in the car wash scandal, tarnished by a prison sentence of nearly two years, only to be released from prison after being reported to prosecutors and the judiciary. The collusion was detected. judicial process.

Lula was found in Brazil by continued support for Mr. Bolsonaro among conservatives and religious-minded people, a group that transcended class and territorial divisions, in addition to the wrath of the powerful agribusiness lobby that supported Mr. Bolsonaro’s regime. And got the most from his rule. Policies on deforestation and undermining the rights of indigenous peoples. The strength of these forces is evident in how Lula’s lead over Mr. Bolsonaro fell from more than five percent in the first round to less than two in the second. In fact, Mr. Bolsonaro won votes between two rounds in all of Brazil’s states, and especially in the north and southwest states.

Mr Bolsonaro has repeatedly sought to undermine the election process by questioning the integrity of Brazil’s electronic voting system, which has fueled mistrust among his most fierce supporters. By the early hours of Monday, he had yet to give up, while some of his supporters, such as a section of truck drivers, demanded the blockade of roads, including major main highways, across the country. A former military officer, Mr. Bolsonaro’s appeal stems from his continued hostility to the left and his strong support for the period of military dictatorship in the country, he received significant support from business communities opposing redistribution, opposing evangelical Christian progressive ideologies. and who opposed the social liberal policies of the Workers’ Party led by Lula and his successors.

conversation is important

Unlike Mr. Bolsonaro, who has reveled in the political polarization and demonization of his opponents through promoting a disinformation campaign that includes false claims of his presidential rival’s support of communism and persecution of churches, Lula has always been incremental. Has called for dialogue as a strategy for progress. A recent biography by John D. French argues how Lula’s style has always been to use dialogue with political opponents, “without sacrificing the ability to stand up and fight when needed .. [through] An additive and transformative politics of ingenuity executed by creating spaces of convergence through difference”. Furthermore, a strong pro-poor orientation and years of experience as a working class leader made him progressive and a large section of the lower middle class and population. has made it dear among the poorer sections of the

True, Lula’s opening speech after the declaration of victory was to seek unity over division, as he stated that he would rule for all Brazilians and “not just those who voted for him”. It was clearly a message to quell concerns among a polarized electorate and to look for ways to work with a divided Congress in which Mr. Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party is the largest party and other centrists are over-represented.

Outside of Mr. Bolsonaro, Bolsonarismo hasn’t fared too badly in recent elections in Brazil, with some pro-Bolsonaro candidates winning reigns in states.

Lula’s victory coincided with a second round of pink tide in Latin America, with leftist presidents elected to power in other neighboring countries. This time, most of his counterparts have focused exclusively on pursuing progressive policies without relying on commodity extraction and pushing for change not through the politics of outright confrontation and institutional capture, but through democratic persuasion and reform. . Lula will have her work finished.