Lula's Brazil victory breaks Latin America's rightward shift

Brazilian voters re-elected President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday, defeating Flávio Bolsonaro with 51.8% of the vote, ending a streak of seven conservative presidential victories in Latin America and complicating US President Donald Trump’s regional influence. Lula’s victory cements Brazil as a counterweight to Washington, with Bolsonaro refusing to concede and Trump yet to acknowledge the result. Both nations see room for cooperation, including US access to Brazilian rare earths and tariff relief for exporters. The result follows a regional rightward shift driven by crime concerns, with leaders like El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele influencing policy. Lula, who will be 85 by 2030, faces a hostile right-dominated Congress and economic challenges despite reduced inflation and unemployment.