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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Comment
Jordana Timerman

Lula is styling himself as the new leader of the global south – and shifting attention away from the west

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, right, with Brazil’s minister of racial equality, Anielle Franco, at an event in Rio de Janeiro last week.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, right, with Brazil’s minister of racial equality, Anielle Franco, at an event in Rio de Janeiro last week. Photograph: Mauro Pimentel/AFP/Getty Images

The world stage often seems sepia-toned, dominated by the dusty international structures of the post-second world war era, favouring the world’s richest countries. However, it is increasingly clear that this setup isn’t sufficient to respond to the interests of the global south, including combating climate breakdown and expanding economic development.

Recognising this mismatch, Brazil under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has positioned itself as an international leader, focused on the agenda of emerging economic powers who prize stability, and in fact have much to lose from conflict and power struggles between rich countries.

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