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Lula’s return is dramatic, his challenges formidable

Lula’s win denies Trump an ally in the region’s largest economy, of the kind he has in Javier Milei in Buenos Aires and once had in Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazil’s continued engagement in these forums matters at a time when developing countries are demanding a greater say in the governance of global institutions.

3 min read Oct 27, 2026 06:50 AM IST First published on: Oct 27, 2026 at 06:50 AM IST

Brazil’s presidential election was watched closely around the world as it unfolded in a fraught setting. It came amid a populist right-wing surge across Latin America, the long shadow cast by US President Donald Trump and his “Donroe Doctrine”, and larger questions about the Global South, in which Brazil’s voice is key. Incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Workers’ Party was seen as more than a president seeking re-election; he is one of the most prominent figures of the global left.…