From “caminhada da vitória” to frustration: the Kirchnerists who traveled to Brazil for Lula and returned without celebration

For the left, it promised to be a night of celebration, but on October 2, Brazil’s presidential election day, it ended with Long faces among those who predicted Luis Inacio Lula da Silva’s victory over Jair Bolsonaro In the first round or at least by a large margin.

The five points advantage forced Bolsonaro to absorb a result that left the suit open in the October 30 ballot. s The annoyance was not only on their part: it also reached over a dozen Kirchner commanders who traveled to this country for elections and Argentine officials Those who worked in Brazil and the day before made no secret of their preference for Lula.

In the hours leading up to the elections, the Argentine authorities in Brazil broke the balance that they showed during the campaign.

Argentine Ambassador in Brasilia, Daniel ScioliThe Argentine Consul in Sao Paulo and the former Ambassador to China, Louis Maria CricklerParticipated in “Walking to Victory”Conclusion of the campaign of the leader of the Workers’ Party (PT) in the city of São Paulo, with the new Minister of Social Development, Victoria Tolosa Paz, who arrived from Buenos Aires. But Shiuli denied it Nation After he participated in the mobilization with the rest of the Argentines.

The resilience of Bolsonaro, who was six million votes behind Lula in the lowest first-round loss since democracy was restored, was a surprise.

Major pollsters had predicted a difference of 10-14 points in Lula’s favour, leaving open the possibility of a first-round victory or a lawsuit filed by a landslide, which according to Bolsonaro allies means. “extension of torment” Until the second round.

On the Saturday before the election, Tolosa Paz posted a tweet with a photo with Scioli after Lula’s advocacy rally in São Paulo, his last act before the poll. “Brazil hopes once again to have a president who will put workers’ rights at the center of the scene,” the minister wrote.

Tolosa Paz was the main sword of everyone’s front on Brazilian soil. She traveled as an international observer invited by the electoral justice system in São Paulo, although she devoted part of her residency to accompany Lula.

On the night of the elections, the Minister of Social Development appeared with the former Brazilian President (2003-2010) in a photo posted on her networks, expressing her desire to do so. “Build Victory” for October 30 and “Be able to celebrate again.”

Besides Tolosa Paz, the São Paulo court has invited six other Argentines to the observation mission, two of whom are officials at the Argentine Consulate in São Paulo. As the head of the advisory board of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, Luciana Titus; Director of Electoral Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Eduardo Ramon Lucero; Al-Biruni fighter Evan Salcedonear Santiago Cafiero and has been identified as an advisor to the Ministry of Economy; s Estanislao Grassi SociniAeropuertos Argentina 2000 guide advisor.

In all cases, sources from the Electoral Court confirmed NationThe costs of the trip were borne by private guest establishments.

He also joined the closure of Lula’s campaign in São Paulo, was the Under-Secretary for National Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Evita guerrillas, Marina CardelliAnd the national representative of the Everyone Front and the Barrios de Paye fighter Natalia Soto.

On Saturday, October 1, Cardelli and Soto were photographed on the street making the “L” gesture, typical of Lula’s followers, after the Labor campaign ended. After the first round, Cardelli said that “the Brazilian people will not allow fascism They continue to subject him to profound misery,” in a new declaration of Labor support for the ballot process.

The Vice Provincial of Buenos Aires also traveled to Brazil Federico FagioliFrom the front of Patria Grande Kirchner; Deputy front all for missions Christina Pritz; Deputy for the Province of Buenos Aires Lisandro Bormiolo And the regional deputy from La Plata for everyone’s front Lucia Inez.

They all followed the results at Lula’s Refuge, in a four-star hotel downtown in São Paulo. They waited for the scrutiny, as well as with the leaders of the Labor Party, PAMI official Nicholas Canosamember of the Foreign Policy Committee at the Patria Institute, and a Kirchnery hardliner Sophia de Nicolofrom the same committee in Patria.

Although he had followers and received public expressions of support from Argentine politicians, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro did not receive envoys from Buenos Aires. For example, Vice La Libertad Avanza Javier Meli and state auditor Miguel Picetto They expressed their support for the Brazilian president through social networks, but did not travel.

Bolsonaro voted in the morning in a military district in Rio de Janeiro and traveled to Brasilia to follow the vote count in the privacy of the Alvorada presidential residence, without an official bunker.

In the first week of the election campaign heading into the run-off, Scioli emphasized that “the elections can go one way or the other” and demanded not to “underestimate” the authority of the incumbent president who is seeking a new term.

Those who follow his daily life in Brasilia confirm that the “ghost” of the 2015 presidential election is hovering in his head, where after the defeat of former President Mauricio Macri in the first round, he was defeated on the ballot. A signal that could reinforce caution against identification in the second round of the political future of Argentina’s main trading partner.