The ghost of Dilma Rousseff looming large on the 2022 election

Election frontrunner Lula sought to distance himself from former President Dilma, who he handpicked as his successor in 2010. But he has now been forced to backtrack to keep the left happy.

Former Presidents Lula and Dilma Rousseff in February 2022. He handpicked her for his succession in 2010 — and the failures of her administration are Lula’s Achilles heel. Photo: Danilo Verpa/Folhapress

Mar 10, 2022 12:52 4 min read

Earlier this week, former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff went viral on social media for her somewhat confusing explanation of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Using pro-Kremlin arguments, she spoke to a left-wing YouTube news channel about the conflict, justifying Russia’s demands. At the top of the interview, she led with Lord Ismay’s famous remark that NATO was created as a western alliance to “keep the Soviet Union out, the Americans in, and the Germans down.”

Ms. Rousseff’s speech broke the leftist bubble, being featured by conservative news channel Jovem Pan under the headline “crashed neurons.” Mocking the...

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The ghost of Dilma Rousseff looming large on the 2022 election

Election frontrunner Lula sought to distance himself from former President Dilma, who he handpicked as his successor in 2010. But he has now been forced to backtrack to keep the left happy.

Access all of The Brazilian Report

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