Scrutable

Seems to be on a knife-edge, with reports of police in some areas stopping Lula supporters from voting.

It was unbelievably close. Thank f.ck the fascist lost. Ended up about 50.8% to 49.2% - but that excludes around 5% of voters who spoiled their ballot or left it blank.

It goes to show: there's no such thing as a pro-democracy voting block.

Thank f.ck, but also that's even closer than brexit. Brazil is China Miévile levels of divided. Even amongst the Brazilian expat community around Lisbon, who skew young, urban and educated, there's plenty of Bolsonistas.

Also they're armed and won't accept the legitimacy of the results. Very scary times.

On the plus side, maybe some added momentum for the COP? f.ck knows we need it

Brazil should be a leader amongst developing economies.

Already received my first erotic Lula gifs btw.

Bird on a Fire wrote: Mon Oct 31, 2022 1:24 am Already received my first erotic Lula gifs btw.

That's just make-up gif

Bird on a Fire wrote: Mon Oct 31, 2022 1:24 am Already received my first erotic Lula gifs btw.

Cool. Let's all celebrate the complete c.nt just because he very narrowly beat the other complete c.nt.

I mean he's clearly a lesser c.nt, even if he's got major flaws (foreign policy and links to corruption, for instance).

Bird on a Fire wrote: Mon Oct 31, 2022 9:13 am I mean he's clearly a lesser c.nt, even if he's got major flaws (foreign policy and links to corruption, for instance).

Yeah, a lesser c.nt, but still a c.nt.

Blames Zelenskyy for not negotiating with Putin and giving in to his political demands, even though Ukraine had pretty much done that by the time of the february escalation.

And personally took measures to shield murderous terrorist bastard Battisti

But, definitely good news for Brazilians and the Amazon.

One friend just texted me "Now I know my daughter can have a good future."

The last 5 years have been very unpleasant in Brazil, and will now be less so.

Bird on a Fire wrote: Mon Oct 31, 2022 10:15 am But, definitely good news for Brazilians and the Amazon.

One friend just texted me "Now I know my daughter can have a good future."

The last 5 years have been very unpleasant in Brazil, and will now be less so.

Absolutely the lesser evil, but I wish they'd had a better choice available. I'm not glad Lula's won, but I am very glad Bolsonaro's lost.

Yeah, fair dos. He was a problematic candidate for loads of Brazilians, hence the wafer-thin loss for Bolsonaro.

A surprise this morning when, bleary eyed, I read that Lulu was making a dramatic comeback, but it soon became clear she had started down a very different career path.

EACLucifer wrote: Mon Oct 31, 2022 8:34 am

Bird on a Fire wrote: Mon Oct 31, 2022 1:24 am Already received my first erotic Lula gifs btw.

Cool. Let's all celebrate the complete c.nt just because he very narrowly beat the other complete c.nt.

In Czech, "lula" is a term for the female genitalia, so quite literally a *unt in Czech. Anyone aware of the term being used with that meaning elsewhere?

In Portuguese it is a squid, of course. Or at least that is the main meaning.

EACLucifer wrote: Mon Oct 31, 2022 10:32 amI wish they'd had a better choice available.

Filed under: Every election everywhere ever.

God, next week's are going to be a disaster. Can't bear to look.

We look at the 1930s elections and say, well they didn't know what was going to happen. But we do know the outcome of the 2020s elections. And nonetheless it's all about personalities and the price of gas and not bothering to resist.

And Bolsonaro is no Trump.

He already had the federal transport police out suppressing the vote in strongly Lula areas, and the military like him too. Plus his base is very much the "god and guns" bunch.

Bird on a Fire wrote: Tue Nov 01, 2022 1:05 am He already had the federal transport police out suppressing the vote in strongly Lula areas, and the military like him too. Plus his base is very much the "god and guns" bunch.

It is especially specious when an incumbent cries foul after an election. They are the ones with the greatest powers to adjust election outcomes in their favour.

It's always protection with these right wing types. They'd steal an election, so if they lose it must've been stolen from them.

Talk about dying with a whimper. Fascism about to win and the President of the United States seeks votes with this:

Joe Biden wrote:One more week until Election Day.

Let’s do this, America.

It's beyond pathetic.

FWIW I've heard from an ongoing wetland conservation conference that Brazil is tacitly supporting Russia over some spat about who messed up some designated wetlands in Ukraine (I don't know the facts of the case in question, but AIUI Russia is largely isolated).

I can totally understand South American leftists being less than entirely keen on the US and related institutions like the IMF. But it would be very disappointing if (1) the invasion of Ukraine is seen in that light, (2) the response to seeing it in that light isn't abandoning Russia immediately, and (3) that wordview overshadows issues of transcendental importance like the climate crisis.

I'm tagging Lula with watchclose.

Still a level up from Bolsonaro, TBF, who oscillated between "try not to look" and "try not to stare".