Next year I hope to go on another election mission as an observer. This year, last Sunday, an election came to me.
I know little of the political scene in Brazil except the incumbent President has gone for growth. Our Prime Minister must have read his story book. He has prioritised ecological vandalism in the rainforests of the Amazon, more chainsaw action than economic growth, so look out Sherwood Forest. His opponent, “Lula”, is an old hand and really there’s not much to choose between them. The incumbent, Bolsonaro, wisely prosecuted Lula and had him put away for 9 1/2 years. What were the charges? In Brazil nobody cares, except that Lula was getting as good at creaming off the cash as Bolsonaro and needed to be spanked.
Unlike Brazil, Britain doesn’t grow bananas and isn’t a republic although you may wonder. Do not for a moment make a comparison. I don’t care who you vote for but I care that you do vote. You are today looking at the UK economy through a magnifying glass and you see Liz Truss floundering like a little winkle on a pin. Maybe she will make it, as Margaret Thatcher did, but if she crashes and burns there will be a free, fair, transparent election. I almost forgot to mention the judge who sent Lula down for that carefully considered 9 1/2 years was unexpectedly promoted to be Minister of Justice. In fact Lula only served 580 days of his sentence. So if you think the UK is chaotic reflect on Brazil.
Brazilian voters formed a mile long queue at the West London College in Barons Court to vote in their Presidential election on Sunday. My instinct is they were mostly going to vote for Lula – they want a somewhat tarnished come-back kid at the helm again. Isn’t democracy a sod when the usual suspects are the only candidates?
Not wanting to depress you, I should point out a most unpromising presidential candidate was elected in 2019 and has become a great leader in Ukraine; a Churchillian figure fighting against the odds. Like Churchill he did not have the resources to beat his opponent, like Churchill he has gained the support of other countries and like Churchill he may prevail and, however the cards fall, he too will have a place in history.
Breaking news: Lula garnered 48% of the votes, Bolsonaro 44%, and long-priced outsider, Simone Tibet, 4%. Because there has to be a 50% majority there will be a second round on 30th October.
Bolsonaro stickers are not hard to spot in Washington, DC. They are not on high-end cars, either, rather those of people who work for a living. I mention this just as an observation, and without any endorsement either way.