Last Sunday, in what might be the first in a global set of dominos, Brazil defeated the far right.
Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva (Lula as he’s known), beat Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil’s presidential election, in a tight 51% to 48% race.
The victory was all the more remarkable because three weeks earlier, Lula’s party was behind by 2.2 million votes. In three weeks, Brazil’s left managed to gain 10 million votes to secure the presidency. And it wasn’t by chance.
The United States treats democracy as a once every four years event that only sometimes requires voting quietly. 2024’s 66% voter turnout was uncommonly high.
The midterms usually mean even less participation than presidential extravaganzas. But this week’s elections are more than electing congresspeople, senators, and voting on local propositions. They will change the balance of power in Washington, affect Trumpism’s grip, and show the world how we feel about rising authoritarianism.
You’ve probably read about Brazil’s election and Bolsonaro’s fleeing to the Florida. But the most impressive part was how Brazilians mobilized to make it happen.
Lula didn’t recruit a giant left-wing billionaire donor who pushed the right campaign ads. He relied on a grassroots digital campaign led by a congressman from a farm-heavy state. Beyond that central messaging, there were local community groups who made posters, pamphlets, and knocked on doors. Others stood outside grocery stores and subway stations with signs saying “Undecided? Let’s talk,” calmly speaking with undecided voters about issues that matter to them. At every bar I walked by,
I could hear at least one table talking about who they’d vote for and why. The eve of the election, more than a million people showed up in the streets in favor of Lula, with flags, banners, posters, and songs. It was democracy in action.
On election day, Bolsonaro’s allies illegally reduced public transportation in several key cities and states to reduce voting access. Both campaigns asked for a voting extension but only 35,000 people were able to vote during that extended period.
Meta had already throttled internet traffic for left wing sources too. In other words, the odds were stacked against democracy. Again. But still, when the numbers finally rolled in that evening and the race was called, the streets erupted into car horns and screams, people singing, waving Brazilian flags.
Brazilians understood what was at stake.The collective relief was unbelievable. Now it’s our turn. I shouldn’t need to tell you that Trumpism is a threat to democracy. But the stakes are bigger than just the US, these elections will have an effect around the world and our choices are not partisan, they’re practical.
We need to elect, without compromise, officials that promise to maintain democracy. Candidates that will at the very least listen when we get angry and take to the streets. The candidates we can argue with, we can have town halls with, we can reelect or refuse to reelect – not the ones who parrot whatever Trump is saying.
So wake up! Get out on the streets, talk to your neighbors, print out flyers, get your friends together, have political dinner, volunteer for voting booths, run for office, and, of course, don’t forget to vote! The world needs more from us, and Brazil showed us what to do.
Francisco Kilgore
Born and raised in Sonoma, Francisco Kilgore currently lives in São Paulo, Brazil
with his girlfriend and their dog.
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