Tomorrow’s elections in Brazil to renew the entire government from the Presidency to the state assemblies, point to a victory in the first round of former president and progressive leader Luiz Ignácio Lula da Silva, an aspiration of workers and minorities of the South American giant.
With the latest polls that give Lula da Silva between 48 and 50% of the intentions of the 156 million voters, out of a total population of 210 million, the second-largest democracy in the Western Hemisphere, would guarantee four years of election to the controversial ruler resurfaced as the Phoenix Bird.
Lula, leader of the Workers’ Party that governed Brazil between 2003 and 2010, faces the incumbent president, Jair Bolsonaro, a right-winger attached to the most conservative thinking in the country and who presumed to be a Trumpist, a kind of Latino follower of former President Donald Trump. .
Lula’s achievements
During his term in office, Lula rescued millions of poor people from misery, raised social and educational programs and gave impetus to black and indigenous people, especially the former, having their rights and allowed young diplomats of color to enter the closed Itamaratí Foreign Ministry, Brasilia.
Lula challenges President Jair Bolsonaro with the immense support of women, who have always backed him for his position in favor of non-discrimination, support for equality of the sexes and equal marriage, and a vision different from the traditional one of how confront street banditry.
Bolsonaro, contrary to Lula, lost his prestige since before his election in 2018. The president assumed the most conservative and strange positions in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, more or less the same as President Trump. Both are survivors of the epidemic that they did not attack.
Lula’s election could mean a new dawn in the management of Brazil’s relations with Latin America, with the revitalization of multilateral groups such as MERCOSUR. In Europe he would be seen with pleasure since Bolsonaro has been a ruler with bad manners as he demonstrated days ago.
The current ruler attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London and after presenting his greetings, he went to the balcony of the Brazilian embassy to deliver an electoral campaign speech before a crowd of supporters who gathered at the diplomatic compound, in a moved capital for the pain.
But the ruler has his friends especially among the most conservative sector of the Protestant sects. Some religious Catholics also appreciate it, but it seems that most priests reject it. On Wednesday, on the eve of the last of two presidential debates, he won the endorsement of charismatic sports idol Neymar Jr. of Paris-Saint Germain.
two different faces
Bolsonaro and Lula are two completely different faces in the political life of Brazil. The first, 67 years old, has in his curriculum the fact of having been a military man with the rank of captain and legislator. Lula, 76, has been president twice, a metallurgical trade unionist and a lifelong politician. He was brought to trial for alleged acts of corruption, but the case was dismissed.
His hoarseness at political rallies is not due to the efforts of the campaign in a huge country, but because he underwent surgery in 2012 for laryngeal cancer, a failure that has been overcome so far. His tireless political struggle led him to suffer from severe dehydration that had to be treated in a hospital in Rio de Janeiro.
Lula da Silva is determined to win the elections in the first round for a historic claim since he was accused of corruption, spent long periods in court and 580 days in prison. Subsequently, a judge of the Supreme Court annulled all the sentences that weighed against him. Originally one judge had sentenced him to nine years and another increased it to 17.
It is not just a personal matter. The situation of the popular masses has worsened since Bolsonaro came to power. Brazil is facing serious economic upheavals, with galloping inflation and a reduction in the growth of its Gross Domestic Product, GDP, which reaches -4.1%.
Appeal
Bolsonaro appeals to patriotism and the maintenance of traditional values from when the military ruled after the overthrow of President Goulart in 1964. The dictatorship lasted until 1985 when President Sarney won free elections. Under the dictatorship, Brazil sent a contingent to validate the North American invasion of the Dominican Republic in 1965.
Contrary to Bolsonaro, Lula has broad support in entertainment, classical and popular musicians and artists, composers and users of social networks, notably Felipe Neto, a 34-year-old young businessman, blogger, actor and comedian who has commanded his millions of faithful to vote for him.
Bolsonaro is the lifeline of the most reactionary right, of the Brazilian supremacists who defend tooth and nail that the landowners of the Amazon despoil the forests for planting, raising cattle and burning coal, in the least cases. Look out of the corner of your eye at those who denounce the problems of climate change.
One of the things that is feared about Bolsonaro is that he can denounce, as Trump did, in the United States, the veracity of the electoral count that in most states was unfavorable to him, and that he looks to his former comrades-in-arms to give a blow. The Brazil of today is not the same as in 1964.
Bolsonaro has insulted Lula and the opponent has done the same. He has also called the president of the Electoral Justice “scoundrel” for allegedly having the management of the electoral organization in a trap. After last Thursday’s debate, Lula grew two points in the intention to vote, from 48% to 50%. With a “one finger” he would win in the first round.
By placing businessman Geraldo Alckmin on the ballot, the wise leftist politician sought to be seen favorably by the young businessmen of a country that is observing the turn towards the progressive side of countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Honduras, Chile and Colombia. In the United States, more bearable, President Biden would extend his hand to Lula.
