Lula's comeback victory masks Brazil's deep divisions

Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won a decisive runoff victory over incumbent Flavio Bolsonaro, overcoming a first-round deficit fueled by high abstention among his supporters. The win marks a historic comeback for the leftist leader. Lula's turnaround was driven by a strategic shift and grassroots mobilization, including mass student and worker protests across urban Brazil against Bolsonarism. These marches, notably in Niteroi and Rio de Janeiro, were united by opposition to Bolsonaro's far-right policies rather than explicit support for Lula. The protests, described by O Globo as the Left's return to the streets after a decade, helped energize voters and close the gap. Lula now faces humongous challenges, including governing a deeply divided nation amid shifting regional left dynamics.