Brazil’s Lula wins shock reelection

A tougher message on crime, a savvy social media strategy, and a welfare boost helped the 80-year-old leftist secure an unprecedented fourth term. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won reelection in a stunning turnaround. A tougher message on crime, a savvy social media strategy, and a boost to welfare payments helped the 80-year-old leftist secure an unprecedented fourth term and stymie a rightist shift that had seen conservative candidates elected across Latin America. His right-wing rival Flávio Bolsonaro — the son of a former president jailed for attempting a coup — vowed to challenge the outcome, though analysts said he was unlikely to succeed. Lula cannot rest on his laurels, though: The legislature, as well as several regional governments, will be controlled by pro-Bolsonaro lawmakers, while Brazil faces huge fiscal challenges and cooling economic growth.