“There Is Hope”

Today Lula won. And with his victory it is reaffirmed that Latin America can write its own future, without external tutelage or imposed recipes. Down with colonialism, down with intervention! Sovereignty and social justice are not negotiable.

This result is not only Brazil’s, it is a message for the entire region. Against those who seek to divide us, plunder us, or decide for us, the peoples of Latin America raise our voices for integration, cooperation, and peace. Hope is not naive: it is organization, participation, and dignity.

Let no foreign power, no corporate interest, and no colonial legacy impose itself on our people again. Latin America deserves to be free, sovereign, and just. There is hope for Latin America!

Bora Lula!

– Gilda Lemos
via social media
October 25, 2026

Reports BreakThrough News:

Workers’ Party leader and incumbent president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has defeated far-right Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in Brazil’s runoff election. Flávio, son of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, had clinched a first place victory over Lula on October 5 in the first round of elections. Since then, progressive movements had focused on intense street mobilization and outreach on social media in an effort to flip the vote.

In recent weeks, reports emerged that U.S. tech giant Meta had had been favoring Bolsonaro’s content across platforms and deliberately restricting Lula’s.

On election day, further interference in favor of Flávio was registered when right-wing leaders in several states considered progressive strongholds, intentionally cut or decreased transportation services, directly infringing on Brazilians’ right to vote. In response, the electoral court extended voting for two hours.

Today’s outcome marks a significant defeat of the pro-U.S. far right in Latin America.

Related Off-site Links:
Brazil’s Lula Wins “Historic Victory” Against Right-Wing Trump Ally Flávio Bolsonaro – Olivia Rosane (Common Dreams, October 25, 2026).
Lula Wins Fourth Term as Brazil President After Historic Upset Over Far-right Flávio Bolsonaro – Tom Phillips and Tiago Rogero (The Guardian, October 25, 2026).
Trump Critic Lula Wins Reelection in Brazil, Securing Fourth Presidential Term – Eleonore Hughes, Mauricio Savarese and Anna-Catherine Brigida (AP News, October 25, 2026).
Bolsonaro Calls for Annulment of Election After Loss to Lula – Bloomberg News (October 25, 2026).

UPDATE: Lula Shock Upset, Bolsonaro Refuses to Concede: An Interview with Juan David Rojas – Breaking Points (October 26, 2026).


See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• “A Blatant Call by the U.S. Empire to Resuscitate Western Colonialism”
• John Pilger on Resisting Empire
• Resisting the Hand of the Empire
• Chris Hedges on the End of the American Empire