Lula Wins Third Term at 80

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated Flávio Bolsonaro in the Sunday runoff to claim a third term as president of Brazil. The 80-year-old leader reversed a loss from the first round of voting to secure the victory within three weeks. His win places him back in the country's top office after a complex political history that includes imprisonment and a diagnosis of throat cancer.

Lula’s political career spans several decades. He rose from a poor peasant family to become the leader of the 100,000-member Metalworkers' Union in 1975. In 1980, he co-founded the Workers' Party, which shifted from a revolutionary stance to a social democratic platform. He first won the presidency in 2002, ending a half-century of right-leaning governance in Brazil.

During his first two terms, Lula implemented the Bolsa Familia family grant program and raised the minimum wage above the rate of inflation. These measures helped approximately 44 million people and contributed to the longest period of economic growth in three decades. He left office in 2010 with an 83% approval rating. However, he was later convicted in the Operation Car Wash corruption probe and sentenced to more than nine years in prison for accepting a beachside flat as a bribe from the OAS engineering firm.

A Supreme Court ruling in 2019 deemed his incarceration illegal, and his convictions were annulled in 2021. He returned to the presidency in 2023 after defeating Jair Bolsonaro. His current term has coincided with the return of Donald Trump to the White House, creating friction between the two leaders. Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods in July of last year, citing the trial of Bolsonaro, who is now serving a 27-year sentence. Flávio Bolsonaro, who lost to Lula this week, is the son of the former president.

The relationship between the two leaders improved following a May meeting at the White House. Trump described Lula as dynamic, while Lula stated he left the meeting very satisfied. Tensions have since resurfaced with the imposition of 25% tariffs on most goods from Brazil in July of this year. Lula has pushed back against what Trump calls the Donroe doctrine, asserting that Brazil does not fit into anyone’s backyard.

Lula’s government points to satellite data showing that deforestation in the Amazon reached its lowest level in the past decade during the first half of 2026. His administration argues that oil revenues from offshore drilling near the Amazon mouth are essential for financing a transition to clean energy. He maintains that Brazil will eventually phase out fossil fuels, despite criticism from some environmentalists regarding recent exploration efforts.

On the international stage, Lula advocates for reforming the United Nations Security Council, arguing that the current veto system favors powers that won World War Two. Brazil remains an active member of the Brics group, which includes Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Lula defends continued trade relationships with Russia and China, viewing the alliance as a counterweight to Western influence.