LULA'S VICTORY IS BRICS' VICTORY — BRAZIL SAYS NO TO TRUMP, YES TO THE GLOBAL SOUTH
By Mpho Dube, Editor-in-Chief
The Azanian | Truth. Fearless. Unfiltered.
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Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won — and his victory is not just Brazil's victory. It is BRICS' victory. It is Africa's victory. It is Latin America's victory. It is the Global South's victory.
This is one of the most important election results of the decade. Not because of one man, but because of what that man represents. Lula represents sovereignty. Lula represents the poor. Lula represents multilateralism. Lula represents a world where no single superpower can bully everyone else into submission.
And his victory is a direct defeat for right-wing politics — and for the Trump administration in Washington. Let us be honest about what Washington wanted.
Trump's entire agenda was clear: Flavio Bolsonaro must win in Brazil. Then America would put pressure on him. He would withdraw Brazil from BRICS. That would create a crisis in BRICS. And then Washington could deal with this phenomenon that is posing a threat to its dominance.
That was the plan. Break BRICS from inside. Use Brazil as the weapon to kill BRICS. Kill multilateralism. Force the world back to a unipolar order where Washington dictates and everyone else obeys. Unfortunately for Trump, it didn't work out that way. Brazil said NO.
The Brazilian people chose Lula. They chose sovereignty over submission. They chose dignity over dictatorship. They chose BRICS over bullying.
They chose a future where Brazil is not a puppet of Washington, but a proud leader of Latin America and the Global South.
Trump tried to weaponise trade. He tried to bully. He tried to threaten. He tried to interference. It failed.Completely.The world knew instantly what this meant.
BRICS leaders were among the very first to congratulate Lula.Ramaphosa was probably the first to respond — to say what a breakthrough this has been for the left and for BRICS and for the future of multilateralism. Xi Jinping did the same. Putin did the same.Ramaphosa understood. Xi understood. Putin understood.
Lula's win is a breakthrough for the left, for BRICS, for multilateralism — for a world where no single country dictates to all others.
When the leaders of South Africa, China and Russia all move within hours to celebrate one election, you know that election changed the balance of world power.
Washington must learn this lesson: When you weaponise trade, when you impose tariffs on countries because you want to force them to do things the way you want them to do it and not in their own national interest — you must expect pushback.And pushback is exactly what BRICS is now giving.
BRICS is not anti-America. BRICS is pro-sovereignty. BRICS is pro-fairness. BRICS is pro-multipolar world.
But when America uses tariffs as weapons, uses sanctions as weapons, uses the dollar as a weapon — then countries will look for another way. And BRICS is that other way.
Brazil and South Africa are particularly important in this fight.The largest economy in Latin America? Brazil.The largest economy on the African continent? South Africa.Both members of BRICS.Two giants. Two continents. One bloc. One voice.
When Brazil and South Africa stand together, the Global South cannot be ignored. When Brasilia and Pretoria speak together, Washington must listen.
America is now applying massive pressure on India. The message to Delhi is clear: "You don't really belong in BRICS, you should be part of us."
That is a problem for BRICS, yes. But it is not a crisis.
Even if India were to depart, that would not be the end of BRICS. BRICS will survive way beyond 2029.
Because BRICS is not about one country. BRICS is about an idea — that the world must be fair, multipolar, and free from bullying.
New members are joining. Africa wants in. Asia wants in. Latin America wants in. The Middle East wants in. The idea is bigger than any one member, bigger than any one election, bigger than any one threat from Washington.
BRICS is the future. And the future cannot be stopped by tariffs.
And now look at Trump's own future.Come the midterm elections in November, he is going to be defeated — in both houses, both Congress and the Senate. And there will be impeachment proceedings against him fairly soon in the new year.That is the irony of history. Trump tried to destroy BRICS. Instead, he may destroy his own presidency.
Trump's bullying era is coming to an end. The tariffs will end. The threats will end. The interference will end. And BRICS will rise even stronger.
The world is tired of bullying. The world wants respect. The world wants partnership, not punishment.
For South Africa, Lula's win means a strong ally is back.
It means BRICS is safe. It means trade without bullying. It means a partner in Brazil who understands poverty, inequality, and the fight for dignity — because Lula lived it.
Lula was born poor. He was a factory worker. He was a union leader. He was jailed. He came back. He became President. He lifted millions out of poverty. He understands the township, the favela, the village — because he came from there.
When Pretoria speaks in BRICS, Brasilia will now stand with it. When South Africa fights for Africa, Brazil will fight with it. When the Global South demands a fairer world, Lula and Ramaphosa will lead that demand together.
That is why this victory matters for every South African — for every job, for every trade deal, for every young person who wants a future not dictated by Washington but built by us.
Washington tried to break BRICS. Brazil broke Washington's plan instead.
History will remember this moment: The day Brazil chose Lula, chose BRICS, chose freedom — and the Global South rose again.
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