Why Lula's reelection in Brazil is 'not gonna make democratizing Cuba any easier'

The victory of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — a long-time ally of Havana and the Castro family — marked the first stumble for President Donald Trump’s administration in its efforts to isolate Cuba and facilitate the region’s ongoing transition away from hard-left governance.

The Brazilian leftist’s victory is a stand-out among recent Latin American elections that have swung towards a pro-American right-wing. He has expressed solidarity with the Cuban government, and his post-election speeches have prominently rejected American hegemony. Now, the Communist government will likely court Brazil as a major patron to replace fallen allies like Venezuela