Congratulations pour in for Brazil president-elect Lula
Congratulations poured in from across the globe on Monday for Brazil's leftist president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after his narrow victory over far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro was announced.
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Shortly after Lula was declared the winner, French leader Emmanuel Macron offered his good wishes, saying the poll opened a new page in Brazil's history.
"Together, we will join forces to take up the many common challenges and renew the ties of friendship between our two countries," the French president said.
Toutes mes félicitations, cher @LulaOficial, pour ton élection qui ouvre une nouvelle page de l'histoire du Brésil. Ensemble, nous allons unir nos forces pour relever les nombreux défis communs et renouer le lien d'amitié entre nos deux pays.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 30, 2022
US President Joe Biden said: "I send my congratulations to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his election to be the next president of Brazil following free, fair, and credible elections."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered a hearty "Congratulations, Lula!" and added: "The people of Brazil have spoken."
Trudeau said he looked forward to working with Lula, who served as Brazil's president between 2003 and 2010, to advance shared priorities – like protecting the environment.
All eyes in western capitals have been on the election's impact on the future of the Amazon rainforest and the global climate emergency.
Left-wing wins
President Alberto Fernandez of neighbouring Argentina said: "The victory opens a new era for the history of Latin America. A time of hope and future that begins today.
"After so many injustices you lived through, the people of Brazil have elected you and democracy has triumphed," he added in a tweet.
After leaving office, Lula was imprisoned for 18 months on controversial and since-quashed corruption charges.
In 2021, charges against Lula were dropped and he returned to politics.
His rise to power in Brazil follows a string of left-wing wins in Latin America.
Gustavo Petro, who became Colombia's first leftist president after his election this summer, tweeted: "Long live Lula."
He later shared a map showing that the majority of Latin American countries are now led by leftist governments.
Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, also from the left wing, tweeted: "Lula won, blessed people of Brazil. There will be equality and humanism."
And Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro offered a "big hug" to Lula, saying in a tweet: "Long live the peoples determined to be free, sovereign and independent! Today in Brazil democracy triumphed."
Brics buddies join the chorus
Fellow members of the Brics group of emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) also extended their congratulations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hoped for constructive cooperation.
"Please accept my sincere congratulations ... the election results have confirmed your impressive political authority," Putin said in a telegram to Lula.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping wished the country new successes.
"I am willing to work with President-elect Lula to make joint plans from a strategic height and long-term perspective, and take the China-Brazil comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level," he said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he looked forward "to working closely together to further deepen and widen our bilateral relations."
And South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said his country looks forward to working with the government of Brazil under the leadership of Mr da Silva.
(With AFP)
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