MADRID, 31 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The electoral victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) has put an end to an electoral campaign of more than two months, marked by tension in the face of a social and political panorama that presents unprecedented polarization. The short distance between the support he has obtained (50.9%) and that of his opponent, until now President Jair Bolsonaro (49.1%), reflects a country divided in two.
This appointment at the polls had been presented as historic, since two conflicting political projects were facing each other for a Brazil that is trying to deal with a very complicated economic panorama after the ravages of the pandemic, which registers record rates of inflation, unemployment, inequality and hunger.
The first round of these elections, held last Sunday, October 2, predicted the victory of Lula da Silva with 48.43 percent of the support and a distance of more than five percentage points with respect to the then acting president. However, several polls published in the weeks that followed fueled optimism in the ranks of Bolsonaro, who has turned out to be the first Brazilian president to fail to be re-elected.
After practically all the pollsters underestimated the support for the ex-military in the first round, Lula da Silva’s victory did not seem to be guaranteed in the second, which is why the last few weeks have been the scene of a harsh confrontation between the two candidates.
Bolsonaro has tried to associate the Workers’ Party with corruption, since Lula da Silva spent a total of 580 days in jail for crimes of this nature, convicted by Judge Sergio Moro, who later served as Bolsonaro’s minister. In addition, he has advocated continuing his policy of recent years, privatizing state companies, investing in the Police and the Army and fostering the family.
Instead, Lula da Silva has opted for economic recovery along with social measures and has championed the great progress that has been made in this area during his governments between 2003 and 2010. The PT representative has become the first Brazilian president in facing a third term, thanks to the support received at the polls, in the elections with the highest participation in the country’s history.
However, it has not been a quiet day. During this Sunday, the Superior Electoral Court has had to rule on the danger that the right to vote was being violated after the Federal Traffic Police, led by a declared Bolsonarista, has carried out more than 500 interventions on vehicles that were transporting voters. in areas considered favorable to the left-wing candidate.
This has meant a breach of the express order issued by the president of the same Court, Alexandre de Moares, who had prohibited any action of this type “so as not to hinder the vote.” Electoral observers have shown great concern over these events and the Minister of Justice himself has conveyed his perplexity over these events, however the Electoral Court has downplayed it and has refused to extend the voting hours.
After the closing of the polling stations at 5:00 p.m., a frantic count has begun that in two hours has reflected the will expressed at the polls. With 84.33 percent of the vote counted, around 7:00 p.m., the surprise of the union leader was confirmed, whose victory was confirmed hours later by the Electoral Court.
The news has triggered the congratulations of dozens of international leaders who have celebrated the new conquest of the left in the American continent. The presidents of Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, the United States, Canada, Spain and France, as well as the High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union, have hastened to ‘drink’ to Lula’s victory.
The protagonist of the night, has promised to govern for all Brazilians in his first appearance as president-elect and has denied that there are two separate Brazils, for which he has promised to work so that the country advances in respect, equality and freedom. amid a festive atmosphere. His supporters have packed Paulista Avenue in front of the Sao Paulo Museum of Art to celebrate his victory.
In his speech, he mentioned the pillars that will guide his government’s policy as of January 1, 2023, such as the fight against inequality and hunger, unemployment, the protection of the Amazon, of producers rural and small entrepreneurs and the curbing of violence against women.
On the contrary, Jair Bolsonaro has remained silent and has not made any publication, nor have his relatives, which has once again set off alarms about the possibility that he is trying to delegitimize the results and mobilize his allies against the president-elect. Anonymous citizens who supported Bolsonaro have claimed to be in mourning on their social networks and have spread a crepe with the country’s flag.
Brazilian citizens have also elected the representatives of 12 states, among which Sao Paulo stands out, where Tarcísio de Freitas, an ally of Bolsonaro, has prevailed over the Workers’ Party. However, he has recognized the expression of the polls and has stated so that they can bring public policies to the state “alignment and understanding with the federal government will be essential.”
Other politicians related to Bolsonaro have also recognized the meaning of the vote, such as the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira or the governor Ibaneis Rocha (MDB). Although, the Brazilian federal deputy Sergeant Conçalves has referred to Lula da Silva and the Workers’ Party as “the devil” in a sentence broadcast live on a social network.
Although, regardless of what Bolsonaro’s reaction ends up being, it is clear that Lula da Silva is going to have to face a markedly conservative Congress in which the Liberal Party has the largest bench, with 96 seats. In the Senate, the winner of the presidential elections will find a similar scenario since the Bolsonaro formation has 14 of 81 seats.
However, it is to be hoped that the hostilities will escape from the institutions and transcend to the social plane, since almost half of Brazilians had opted for the continuity of Jair Bolsonaro. For this reason, it seems that Lula da Silva’s main challenge will be to develop effective policies that lessen the climate of polarization and make him gain citizen recognition. Although recovering the 80 percent acceptance rate that he had when he left the presidency in 2010 is presented as a complicated task.
