Former left-wing president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was elected this Sunday as head of Brazil, just beating the outgoing far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, with 50.9% of the vote against 49.1%, according to the almost final official results. The 77-year-old former steelmaker, president of Brazil from 2003 to 2010, performs a spectacular comeback at the top of the country, after being imprisoned for corruption (2018-2019) before seeing his convictions overturned by the courts.
“Brazil needs peace and unity”
Right after his election, Lula spoke at a hotel in São Paulo. The voice hoarse with emotion, the figure of the left ensures that his country is back on the international stage. “It is too big to be relegated to this sad role of pariah in the world. Brazil is ready to regain its leadership in the fight against the climate crisis. The planet needs a living Amazon.“, he said, as defeated President Jair Bolsonaro drew international criticism for the record deforestation of the world’s largest rainforest under his tenure.
A country totally divided
“Brazil needs peace and unity”added Lula. “I will govern 215 million Brazilians, and not just those who voted for me. There are not two Brazils, we are one people, one nation. Our most urgent commitment is to once again eliminate the hunger”while 33 million Brazilians are food insecure, he pointed out.
After four years in office of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil is more divided than ever. Tensions also increased during the presidential campaign, where all shots seemed allowed between the two opponents, starting with misinformation. The difference, of less than one percentage point, is the tightest between two presidential finalists since the return to democracy after the military dictatorship (1964-1985). Many fear a Brazilian replica of the storming of the capitol in the united states
, if Jair Bolsonaro does not accept his defeat. Moreover, he had not still not expressedmore than four hours after the announcement of the results.
A victory hailed around the world
The leaders of several countries congratulated the victory of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva against outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro, after an ultra-polarized campaign. “Together, we will join forces to meet the many common challenges and renew the bond of friendship between our two countries”wrote French President Emmanuel Macron in a message on Twitter.
“I extend my congratulations to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his election as President of Brazil following free, fair and credible elections”, said Joe Biden, President of the United States in a press release. He said he was “looking forward to working” with him “to continue the cooperation between our two countries“.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said he was looking forward to “to work with Lula to strengthen the partnership between our countries and to advance our common priorities – such as environmental protection”. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the president of Mexico, tweeted: “Lula has won, blessed people of Brazil. There will be equality and humanism”.