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The socialist candidate for the Presidency of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, won in the first round over the current president, the conservative Jair Bolsonaro. However, both will go to the second round because Lula failed to obtain the 50% of the votes needed to win in the first round.
Lula’s triumph was poor. Most polls predicted a resounding victory for the leftist in the first round and a difference of at least 10 points. Instead, Lula, with 48.3% of the votes, barely pulled 5 points ahead of Bolsonaro, with 43.2% of the votes.
Bolsonaro’s result is much better than what the left expected. Therefore, Bolsonaro goes to the second round with strength and robustness. Likewise, in this Sunday’s general elections, Bolsonaro’s party achieved significant victories in Congress. Both in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, the Liberal Party won, and the right wing could easily earn a majority.
Although Bolsonaro’s defeat was not as tragic as the pollsters had predicted, the president still has a hard time getting re-elected. For now, if the trend continues, the next president of Brazil could be Lula. Alarming because Lula is the first candidate in the history of Brazil to reach the second round in court. It should be remembered that in 2017 Lula was sentenced to 9 years in prison for corruption in a massive bribery scheme.
Lula did not serve his sentence because the justice system —even when he was accused of being corrupt—pardoned him in 2019 and allowed him to run again.
It is worrying that Lula, convicted of corruption, is winning over Bolsonaro, who, although controversial, does not have a criminal record.
Orlando Avendaño is the co-editor-in-chief of El American. He is a Venezuelan journalist and has studies in the History of Venezuela. He is the author of the book Days of submission // Orlando Avendaño es el co-editor en Jefe de El American. Es periodista venezolano y cuenta con estudios en Historia de Venezuela. Es autor del libro Días de sumisión.