Rio de Janeiro
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was re-elected president of Brazil in a landslide last week, winning almost 61 percent of the vote against rival Geraldo Alckmin. Dogged by a spate of corruption scandals, da Silva failed to poll a majority in the first round of balloting in early October, forcing last week’s runoff. The charismatic Lula ran on his record of reducing poverty, raising the minimum wage, and creating millions of new jobs. “Above all, the people felt they were improving,” said Lula in his victory speech. “No one can be opposed to that idea.” Despite his victory, Lula must still contend with unresolved charges that he was involved in a scheme in which $800,000 was shelled out to turn up damaging information on his political enemies.
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