Lula defeats Bolsonaro in runoff, keeping Brazilian embassy in Tel Aviv
The Workers Party leader won 51.79% of the vote, reversing his rival's pledge to relocate the mission to Jerusalem.
By Charles Reed ·
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva retained the presidency of Brazil after winning the second round of voting against Flavio Bolsonaro. The incumbent leader of the Workers Party captured 51.79% of valid votes, while Bolsonaro, of the Liberal Party, received 48.21%.
The election outcome prevents a change in diplomatic posture that Bolsonaro had outlined during his campaign. During a meeting with Jewish leaders in Buenos Aires on June 28, 2026, Bolsonaro stated that Brazil would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2027. He also promised to appoint a new ambassador to Israel.
Lula has historically taken a critical stance toward Israel's military operations in Gaza. In January 2024, his administration supported South Africa's decision to file a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. The following month, Lula compared the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza to the Holocaust, a remark that provoked a diplomatic crisis between the two nations.
Brazilian Jewish organizations reacted strongly to Lula's earlier comments. CONIB, the country's Jewish umbrella organization, described the comparison as a distortion that offended the memory of Holocaust victims. The Holocaust Museum of Buenos Aires also criticized the remarks. Bolsonaro, who did not immediately concede defeat, said he did not accept the results, though observers note the legal avenues for a formal challenge are limited.
The result interrupts a regional trend of closer ties between Latin American governments and Israel. Since 2023, several neighboring countries have reversed previous diplomatic decisions. Argentine President Javier Milei has made support for Israel central to his foreign policy. Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz Pereira restored relations that his predecessor had severed.
Other leaders in the region have also moved closer to Israel. Honduran President Nasry Asfura formally recognized Israel's new ambassador upon taking office in 2025. Chilean President José Antonio Kast is rebuilding ties that had diminished under his predecessor. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, elected in May 2026, restored diplomatic ties, sent his foreign minister to Jerusalem, and withdrew from the ICJ genocide case.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had congratulated Bolsonaro after the first round on October 4, expressing hope for restoring the friendship between the two nations. With Lula back in office, that diplomatic momentum faces a pause in Brazil.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
