Brazil’s left-wing former President Lula da Silva won round two of the election on October 30, despite blatant voter suppression by far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.
Lula got 50.9% of the total, including over 2.1 million more votes than Bolsonaro.
In his victory speech, Lula said his top priority will be to ensure that no Brazilian goes hungry. He likewise pledged to provide housing for the homeless, jobs and opportunities for the poor, better education, and equality for women.
Results of Brazil’s October 30, 2022 presidential election round two
Lula was a co-founder of the BRICS system, which he has called to expand. He has similarly vowed to strengthen unity in Latin America and the Caribbean through institutions of regional integration like the CELAC, UNASUR, and MERCOSUR.
Before the election, Lula proposed creating a pan-Latin American currency, in order to “be freed of the dollar.”
Lula’s victory represents a reversal of two US-sponsored soft coups in 2016 and 2018, which overthrew the Workers’ Party (PT) government of former President Dilma Rousseff and subsequently imprisoned Lula on false charges, handing power to Bolsonaro.
In the interview below, Brazil-based journalist Brian Mier speaks with Multipolarista editor Ben Norton about the global significance of Lula’s historic victory.
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Follow Brian Mier on Twitter at @BrianMteleSUR
Thousands of people have poured out onto Paulista Avenue to celebrate Lula's historic victory- the first time a challenger has ever beat an imcumbant since the return to democracy in 1985. pic.twitter.com/eU3wru2bOz
— BrianMier (@BrianMteleSUR) October 30, 2022
Read independent news website Brasil Wire at brasilwire.com.
Lula says the top priorities of his government will be eliminating hunger and fighting poverty. pic.twitter.com/1LS3lUxvOk
— BrianMier (@BrianMteleSUR) October 31, 2022
Eric Arthur Blair
2022-10-31 at 20:13
Spectacularly good news for the people of Brasil and the people of the world. The triumph of real democracy. Thank you Ben and Brian for such a comprehensive discussion. Most important early measures are for Lula to consolidate power and to fight off the attempts by Bolsonaro and the CIA to delegitimize and even overthrow Lula. That done, we can expect a bright future for ordinary Brasilians, especially the working poor. Wish the same could be said for the USA, which defacto has no real democracy, hence no real hope, hence no real future.
Luana
2022-11-01 at 09:05
Esta es, en palabras del presidente electo Lula, la victoria de la democracia contra la barbarie, la victoria de la democracia contra el autoritarismo y el fascismo.
Es importante saber que todo el aparato estatal, las televisiones, la mayoría de las iglesias evangélicas, muchos gobernadores y políticos, grandes empresas, entre otros sectores, estaban en contra de la elección de Lula. ¡Así que esta es la victoria más espectacular de la democracia en el país!