Brazil's political environment has become much more polarized and conservative in the 12 years since President-elect Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva last held the position, which will constrain his ability to enact greater policy changes this time around -- especially if current President Jair Bolsonaro emboldens his right-wing supporters by contesting da Silva's narrow electoral victory. On Oct. 30, left-wing candidate and former president Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva won Brazil's hotly contested presidential runoff with 50.9% of the vote -- narrowly beating out incumbent right-wing candidate Bolsonaro, who had repeatedly aired unfounded suspicions of voter fraud in the months leading up to the election. Da Silva, who also served as Brazil's president from 2003-2010, has given a victory speech and is slated to be sworn in for another presidential term on Jan. 1. Neither Bolsonaro nor his close advisers have yet to publicly concede or issue statements acknowledging the...
