Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro to retake the Brazilian presidency in a tight election on Sunday. The results represent a crucial victory for those seeking to preserve a safe and livable climate. Lula ran on a platform of improving the welfare state, reestablishing foreign relationships damaged by Bolsonaro, and cracking down on illegal deforestation. “We did not face an opponent, a candidate. We faced the machine of the Brazilian state put at his service so we could not win the election,” da Silva told the crowd in Sao Paulo. Norway announced it would resume Amazon protection subsidies it suspended over Bolsonaro policies that accelerated deforestation by 70% and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanches tweeted, “Congratulations Lula on your victory … Let’s work together for social justice, equality and against climate change.” (AP, New York Times $, TIME, The Guardian, Bloomberg $, Economist, Al Jazeera, BBC, NPR, CNN, Bloomberg $, The Hill, TIME; Climate implications: Axios; Norway: AFP via Barron’s; Spain: AFP via Barron’s; EU praise: Politico EU)
