Lula Needs To Better Up His Game
from The Missing Piece [International] Hosted by The Missing Piece
Brazil votes this Sunday in a deeply polarized election, and President Lula da Silva is fighting for a fourth term against Flávio Bolsonaro. So why is Lula facing so many obstacles? Voter fatigue after 44 years in politics, rising costs, and public security fears have eroded his standing—nearly half of Brazilians disapprove of his government. To stand out, Lula is leaning on his legacy of lifting millions out of poverty and framing himself as the defender of Brazilian sovereignty against US tariffs. Meanwhile, trade with China tells the real story. China is Brazil's largest partner, with two-way trade hitting $188 billion, and Lula has called Beijing Brazil's "best partner". As Washington pressures Latin America, Lula is pushing a Mercosur-China trade deal that could reshape the region's economy. Stay tuned—this election matters far beyond Brazil. Guest Info: Professor Marcus Vinicius De Freitas is a Visiting Professor at the China Foreign Affairs University (Beijing), a Senior Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South (Rabat).
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