After the results of Sunday’s electoral process in Brazil, which resulted in the re-election of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to a fourth presidential term, world leaders and personalities welcomed the victory in a context where the democracy and sovereignty of the Brazilian giant were at stake.
Among the first to speak, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel formally congratulated Lula da Silva, expressing at the same time the island’s willingness to strengthen relations of cooperation and regional integration.
Through a statement, Díaz-Canel wrote: “Dear brother Lula, I congratulate you on behalf of the Cuban government and people for this historic victory that guarantees the continuity of the path of peace.” He also emphasized that Brazil has Cuba’s support to advance in strengthening unity in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Similarly, the government of Venezuela congratulated the citizens of Brazil for the high turnout in the second round of elections held this Sunday, in which Lula emerged victorious over Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, candidate of the Liberal Party (PL).
“The people of Brazil have carried out a resounding display of civic and democratic participation,” stated Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia.
The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) also congratulated the Brazilian people “for the resounding democratic achievement shown in the second round of the elections that led to the re-election of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.” It praised the “sister party,” Lula’s Worker’s Party, for its resilience and organization.
Brazil’s re-election of Lula da Silva also received immediate backing from the Mexican government. On Monday, October 26, during her regular morning press conference from the National Palace, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she was pleased with the result and made the traditional “L” hand gesture use in Brazil to refer to Lula.
She accompanied the gesture with a phrase that sums up her reading of the runoff: The victory is “a breath of fresh air for Latin America and the Caribbean.” The president highlighted the weight of a victory that overturned first-round margins. In her view, a popular movement prevailed against the South American far right.
Former Colombian President Gustavo Petro reacted to President Lula’s victory in the second-round vote on Sunday. According to him, “fascism was stopped in Latin America, in Brazil.”
“The free Brazilian people managed to contain the wave of fake bots, and the electoral system, with its public software and careful maintenance by the citizenry, prevented fraud. Social justice in Brazil was preserved, as was the foreign attempt to appropriate its natural resources,” he said in a social media post.
“Well done, Lula. This is a victory for humanity and a strategic defeat for the forces of darkness,” Gustavo Petro added.
Outside of the left spectrum, other heads of state recognized the result. The president of Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz, said he will continue working with Lula: “I congratulate President Lula on his victory. Bolivia and Brazil are neighboring and brotherly countries, united by a shared history and challenges. We will continue working together to strengthen our relationship and generate more opportunities for our nations.”
The president of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, formally recognized Lula’s electoral victory on Monday and announced his immediate willingness to continue cooperating with Brazil.
On social media, the president wrote: “President Lula and I have major political differences, but we agree on something fundamental: Brazil and Colombia need one another,” while also noting his original preference for the opponent.
The right-wing president of Chile, José Antonio Kast, who is close to Flávio Bolsonaro, said he had called Lula: “I just spoke with the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and I congratulated him on the electoral results. Chile and Brazil share a promising future, and we will continue working on an agenda that strengthens relations between our countries in economic integration and the fight against organized crime in the region.”
The president of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, also called President Lula. “I just spoke with the President-elect of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a friend. I congratulated him on his victory and on the democratic celebration that this electoral process represents,” he wrote.
Europe and Asia
The president of Russia, Vladímir Putin, congratulated Lula on his re-election. For Putin, the vote confirmed popular recognition of the South American leader’s “outstanding leadership qualities.”
The Russian head of state also underscored the broad backing for the defense of national sovereignty, Brazil’s interests on the international stage, and sustainable socioeconomic development. The congratulatory message arrived in warm terms, a gesture Moscow reserves for its strategic partners.
China’s government likewise congratulated President Lula on Monday.
“China has taken note that the Superior Electoral Court of Brazil has declared President Lula the winner of the second round of the presidential elections and congratulates him,” stated Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.
In Europe, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez linked the Brazilian result to the international political struggle against fascism. “A great victory for Lula! What happened in Brazil will happen in Spain. The global progressive recovery has just begun,” he stated.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for deepening France’s partnership with Brazil.
“Congratulations, Lula, on your re-election,” stated Macron. “France and Brazil have much to build together to face the great challenges of our time. Let us strengthen our strategic alliance and keep alive the friendship between our two countries in the service of a fairer world.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Lula and highlighted the strategic relationship between the two countries.
“My sincerest congratulations to my dear friend, President Lula, on his remarkable re-election victory. I look forward to working closely with him to deepen and further expand the multifaceted strategic partnership between India and Brazil. Together, we will continue strengthening our cooperation across sectors, advancing the Global South’s priorities, and working for a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world,” Modi stated.
The victory of Lula was confirmed by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) at 9:08 p.m. after 97% of votes had been counted. The president was re-elected with 51.74% of the vote compared with 48.26% for Flávio Bolsonaro (PL). Lula is the first president in Brazil’s history to be re-elected for a fourth time by popular vote.
The second round of the campaign was marked by the mass mobilization of supporters of President Lula, which ensured an electoral turnaround that was unprecedented in the country’s history.
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Flávio Bolsonaro led Lula in the first round. Since the restoration of democracy in 1989 following the US-backed military dictatorship of the previous decades, no presidential candidate who began as the favorite had lost the election in Brazil. This is the first time that a presidential candidate who began trailing has managed to come back and win.
(Telesur)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
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