{
  "id": 16556872,
  "title": "Lula, Brazil's political titan, defies the passage of time",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/lula-brazils-political-titan-defies-the-passage-of-time",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-26T03:00:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Buenos Aires Times",
    "slug": "buenos-aires-times",
    "url": "https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/latin-america/lula-brazils-political-titan-defies-the-passage-of-time.phtml"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil's president, has made history by becoming the first person to win a presidential runoff after losing the first round in Brazil. The 81-year-old titan of the political left defied expectations and narrowly defeated his 38-year-old opponent, Flavio Bolsonaro, in the second round of the election. Lula's victory has preserved Brazil as a leftist stronghold amid a regional trend to the right, championed by US President Donald Trump.\n\nBorn into deep poverty in a family of illiterate farmers in northeastern Brazil, Lula began his political career as a metalworker and trade unionist. He served two terms as president, from 2003 to 2010, and was jailed for corruption before his return to power in 2014. Despite facing accusations of corruption and discontent among voters, Lula's campaign focused on his life story and legacy, which critics claim may not have resonated with weary Brazilians.\n\nLula's presidency saw him restore social programs, curb deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, and bolster Brazil's democracy. However, his tenure was marred by high public debt, which cost the government nearly $18 billion monthly in interest. Critics have also lambasted his election-season spending push, including an increase in the Bolsa Família social welfare benefits, which remain his most significant legacy. Lula has not cultivated a potential successor and campaigned on stopping the far right from returning to power, his supporters viewing him as a symbol of the defense of democracy.",
  "summary": "Titan of the political left makes history by becoming the first person to win a presidential run-off after losing the first round in Brazil. Leer más",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Jakarta Post",
        "title": "More Lula, or back to the Bolsonaros? Brazil votes in cliffhanger",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/more-lula-or-back-to-the-bolsonaros-brazil-votes-in-cliffhanger",
        "published": "2026-10-25T09:48:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour",
        "title": "Brazil votes in a tense Lula vs. Bolsonaro runoff with U.S. influence over Latin America at stake",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/brazil-votes-in-a-tense-lula-vs-bolsonaro-runoff-with-u-s-influence",
        "published": "2026-10-25T14:57:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Semafor",
        "title": "Brazil votes in narrow presidential runoff",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/brazil-votes-in-narrow-presidential-runoff",
        "published": "2026-10-25T22:32:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Economic Times",
        "title": "'Brazil is no one's backyard': Lula da Silva",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/brazil-is-no-ones-backyard-lula-da-silva",
        "published": "2026-10-26T01:32:24.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}