Looking South - Perspectives on the 2026 Elections in Brazil

(Kaieteur News) – On October 4 this year, 120 million Brazilians go to the polls in an election which will see the incumbent President, Luiz Ignacio ‘Lula’ Da Silva, seeking election as Brazil’s president for an unprecedented fourth time. His major rival is Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and the elections take place at a period in Latin America when since 2025, there have been changes in government in Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Honduras, Peru, and most recently in Colombia, while the government in Ecuador was reelected.

In the case of Venezuela, elections were held in 2024, but by early 2026 ,in the midst of rapidly changing geopolitical dynamics, still unfolding in the region, President Maduro was captured and taken to stand trial in the US , with acting President Delcy Rodriguez currently heading the country’s administration.

There is the view that a rightward political shift, coupled with the emboldenment of conservative forces in the region after the election of US President Trump have contributed significantly to these changes. On the other hand, it has been posited that voter concerns about rising crime, public safety and security and failing economies have been the major drivers of political change as promises of robust action on crime reduction and campaign commitments on economic reform triggered an anti – incumbent wave in the region.