leftist former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will return to power in Brazil for the third time after beating far-right Jair Bolsonaro in the ballot by a very narrow margin, reflecting an immense division in the South American giant.
The 77-year-old icon of the Latin American left was imposed by 50.9% of the votes compared to 49.1% for the former army captainor, 67 years old, with almost 100% scrutinized.
In his first reaction in Sao Paulo, Lula called for the unity of Brazilians. “Nobody is interested in a divided country in a permanent state of war“, said.
He also addressed the international community: “Brazil is back” and he will stop being a “pariah”, he promised. And he assured that he will combat deforestation because the planet needs a “living Amazon.”
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The difference in votes between the two candidates is two million in favor of Lula, for a total of 156 million voters.
“It was the tightest victory for a second turn” in a Brazilian election, political scientist Leandro Consentino, from the Insper research institute in Sao Paulo, told AFP.
“Brazil there will be a major change of government, with half the population dissatisfied with that,” he summarized.
The outburst of joy in the emblematic Paulista avenue in Sao Paulo, where thousands of Lula voters gathered, was immediate.
“Brazil is getting back on track after four years of darknessthe population was feeling fear and experiencing many problems,” Larissa Meneses, 34, told AFP.
Bolsonaro has sent mixed messages about whether he will recognize the results in case of defeat. On Friday he assured that he would do it: “Whoever has the most votes, he wins.”
On the esplanade of the Three Powers in Brasilia, where hundreds of Bolsonaristas gathered to await the results, Ruth da Silva Barbosa, a 50-year-old teacher, assured that “the Brazilian people are not going to swallow a false election like this.” “Bolsonaro needs to make a decision now,” she said.
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– “Everything will change” –
The campaign accentuated the polarization in the country, divided between a conservative movement and those with a progressive vision, in keeping with the social diversity of Brazil.
Lula “represents many things, gender equality, freedom. Everything will change”Carolina Freio, a 44-year-old civil servant in the Copacabana neighborhood in Rio, assured through tears.
“For us, Lula’s return is very important, he tried to demarcate our lands, he had projects,” shaman Saha da Silva, from the Sateré-Mawé indigenous group, who voted in his community of Iranduba, 80 km away, told AFP. from Manaus, capital of the Amazon.
lullah, what ruled Brazil from 2003 to 2010has the support of the poorest and those who resented Bolsonaro’s policies and outbursts, such as youth, women and minorities.
He promised to “fix the country” still impacted by the pandemic crisis and its 688,000 deaths.
In his campaign he highlighted his socioeconomic achievements, such as the escape from poverty of more than 30 million Brazilians thanks to social initiatives financed with the ‘boom’ of raw materials.
In this third period it will not have the same prosperity: although the economy shows signs of improvement, with growth, less inflation and more employment, it is far from the prosperity of the 2000s.
Nor will it be easy for him in Congress, where the Conservatives are in the majority.
Lula returned to the political arena last year, after his convictions for corruption were annulled for procedural reasons.. He was imprisoned for 19 months, especially punctuated by the “Lava Jato” scandal over a bribery network in the state-owned Petrobras.
Bolsonaro, a former army captain, sought re-election defending traditional values and the recent improvement in economic data – slowing inflation and falling unemployment – while continuing to breathe a nationalist discourse.
A message especially appreciated by agribusiness and the evangelical population, which represents a third of the electorate and continues to expand throughout the country.
The new president will assume the reins of Brazil on January 1.
Brian Winter, editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly, foresaw a “weak government” by Lula: “He will be under the microscope from day one and will face a hostile Congress,” he said.
Lula was immediately congratulated by US President Joe Biden, who praised “free” and “fair” elections.
So did the presidents of Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, France, Canada and Uruguay, among others. “Lula. Joy,” tweeted the young Chilean president Gabriel Boric.
