Lula Reelected, Raising Amazon Protection Hopes
5 sourcesUpdated Oct 27, 20261 min read
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won Brazil's Oct. 25, 2026 presidential runoff over Flávio Bolsonaro, AP reported 51.78% to 48.21%, by 4.4 million votes after trailing in the first round. Flávio Bolsonaro refused to concede and said he would seek to nullify the results before Dec. 18 certification. Court rulings last week secured government transport for remote Indigenous voters; a Supreme Court judge extended voting hours by two hours amid transport problems on election day. Environmentalists and scientists welcomed the outcome. David Lapola said the Amazon can breathe a sigh of relief. Paulo Artaxo said the scientific community was happy at Lula's victory. Brazil's Climate Observatory, a coalition of 172 groups, said seven in 10 incoming lawmakers oppose the climate and environmental agenda. Ana Alfinito of Amazon Watch said a Congress seeking to open Indigenous lands to mining remains a serious threat. Claudio Angelo said a Dutch $500 million pledge brought Tropical Forest Forever Facility commitments to $7.8 billion toward a $10 billion year-end target. Lula has pledged to end deforestation by 2030. About 60% of the Amazon lies in Brazil. Certification and the legislative path for forest policy remain ahead.
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The close vote shows many Brazilians still back the old policies, so Lula better deliver fast on protection promises.
Lula's win should mean real progress stopping deforestation before more of the Amazon is lost for good.
