Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was re‑elected president of Brazil on Sunday, winning 52 % of the vote to 48 % for Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. The margin of 4.4 million votes reversed the result of the first round, in which Bolsonaro had led with 47 % and Lula had finished second by two percentage points. After the announcement of the results, Lula posted a message on his social‑media accounts thanking international leaders for their congratulations. In a note to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, he said that Brazil would continue “alongside Spain in the defense of democracy, social justice, multilateralism and peace,” and thanked Sánchez for the warm wishes. Sánchez had linked Lula’s victory to the expectations of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party ahead of Spain’s general election scheduled for 29 November. The Brazilian president also received messages from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi. In a phone conversation with Sheinbaum, Lula discussed cooperation between Brazil and Mexico and reaffirmed a commitment to each country’s sovereignty. Sheinbaum described the result as a “bocanada de aire fresco para América Latina y el Caribe.” Lula thanked Orsi for the continued dialogue after the elections and said he intended to keep working with Uruguay on social justice, regional integration and shared prosperity. In a separate exchange, Lula spoke with Chilean President José Antonio Kast, who, despite ideological differences, emphasized the need to strengthen economic integration between the two countries and cooperate to combat organized crime. Both leaders had previously met at the Latin American Economic Forum in Panama. The congratulatory messages and phone calls illustrate Brazil’s ongoing diplomatic outreach following a presidential election in which Lula overturned the first‑round lead.
Article source: De Ultimo Minuto | Image credit: De Ultimo Minuto