Lula wins historic fourth term as Brazil's president
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won an unprecedented fourth term on Sunday, October 25, defeating Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in a shock result that defied polls and halted a wave of right-wing victories across Latin America. Lula, an 80-year-old icon of the global left, beat the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro after finishing second in the first round. His victory was powered by better-than-expected turnout, with voters choosing his familiar record of falling poverty over Bolsonaro's novelty. Lula's win deprives US President Donald Trump of a friendly right-wing ally in the region. However, Lula faces a conservative Congress, a meager 2.3% growth forecast, and public debt above 82% of GDP, likely making his fourth term his most difficult yet.