Lula wins Brazil vote, challenging Trump's 10th prize in the Americas

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva secured a victory in the national election, defeating right-wing rival Flávio Bolsonaro. The result extends Lula's term by four years and complicates President Donald Trump's strategy to consolidate influence across Latin America.

Trump responded to the outcome with mixed signals. He stated that he likes Lula and that they get along well. He also claimed he did not take sides in the race. However, Trump described the election as terrible and rigged. Bolsonaro has refused to recognize the result, despite the Supreme Electoral Court finding no evidence of irregularities.

The campaign was fueled by Lula's assertion that Brazil will not accept being anyone's backyard. This message targeted Washington directly. Lula wore a blue cap reading Brazil belongs to Brazilians during his rallies. He accused the Bolsonaro family of being unpatriotic for lobbying the US to impose punitive tariffs on Brazil.

Those tariffs were initially imposed by Trump in response to the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, Flávio's father. Lula argued that US interference in the judicial process undermined Brazilian sovereignty. His approval ratings rose during this period. The US eventually reduced the tariffs, although they have since increased again. The two leaders later met in the Oval Office, where Trump called the talks very good.

The victory is a setback for Trump's Donroe Doctrine. This strategy aims to establish US dominance in the Western Hemisphere. Five other nations, including Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, and Peru, have elected presidents aligned with the Trump administration. Christopher Sabatini of Chatham House noted that Trump viewed Brazil as the 10th and biggest prize after Flávio Bolsonaro won the first round.

Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America. The country holds the second-largest reserves of rare earth minerals in the world after China. The US had sought preferential access to these resources. Flávio Bolsonaro was expected to join the Shield of Americas coalition, a group focused on combating narco-trafficking. Lula's victory keeps a leader who opposes certain US military actions in the region in office.

Diplomatic tensions remain despite the improved personal rapport between the two presidents. Brazil accused the US of trying to cast doubt on its electoral system earlier this year. The US denied the claim and revoked the Brazilian ambassador's visa. Lula has also criticized the US for designating two major Brazilian gangs as terrorist organizations. His campaign also alleged that Meta favored Flávio Bolsonaro on its platform, a claim Meta denied while admitting to technical errors.