Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva addressed the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, 2026, posing a question to both international and domestic audiences: who will decide Brazil's future? This query comes as voters prepare to head to the polls on October 4, in an election marked by significant US interference. Lula's campaign has centered on sovereignty, arguing that Brazil's destiny must be determined by Brazilians, not foreign powers.
Lula's stance on sovereignty has been uncompromising, denouncing members of the Bolsonaro family as traitors conspiring against the national interest. He has also criticized US pressure, including tariffs and sanction threats, which have not prevented him from maintaining a rapport with US President Donald Trump. Lula's rhetoric has contributed to his small but steady lead in most polls. His vision of nationalism is rooted in a progressive tradition that prioritizes Brazil's autonomy in the international system.
Brazilian political movements, both left and right, have historically competed to claim the nationalist mantle. Progressive nationalists, like Lula, understand national sovereignty as the capacity to determine Brazil's economic and political development independently. In contrast, conservative nationalists view progressive nationalism as a distraction from domestic corruption and irresponsibility. These two traditions have offered distinct diagnoses of Brazil's problems and prescriptions for its future.
Lula's appeals to sovereignty should not be mistaken for anti-Americanism, as Brazilian progressive nationalists have sought greater room for maneuver in the international system. Brazil has cultivated relations across ideological divides, seeking a larger voice in shaping the international order. The country has pursued a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and offered to mediate geopolitical disputes, despite being dismissed by some as naive or misguided.
Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, presents a contrasting vision of nationalism. He criticizes Brazilian democratic institutions, particularly the Supreme Court and electoral system, as obstacles to restoring the country's political order. A closer relationship with the US is, in his view, compatible with national renewal. Flávio Bolsonaro's main target is the judiciary that prosecuted and imprisoned his father.
A Flávio Bolsonaro electoral victory would strengthen the transnational far-right current, extending the reach of a political project hostile to popular sovereignty abroad. In contrast, Lula's vision of sovereignty emphasizes defending Brazil's freedom to chart its own course in the world. His UN speech insisted that powerful countries cannot dictate the political choices of weaker ones, a message that resonated with Brazilians.
The Brazilian election has increasingly focused on corruption, with Lula's campaign pulling back toward this fault line. A leaked confidential report from Brazil's national intelligence service described US pressure as having reached a "critical" level, warranting attention from institutions charged with protecting Brazil's political and electoral system. Lula's emphasis on sovereignty has paid political dividends at home.
Key points
- Lula's UN address emphasized national sovereignty amid US interference in Brazil's election.
- Two contrasting visions of Brazilian nationalism are at play in the election: one prioritizing autonomy and the other emphasizing a closer relationship with the US.
- The election's outcome may impact Brazil's role in the international system and its relationships with foreign powers.
