Solidarity Statement on the Brazilian Presidential Election
Parliamentarians, trade union leaders, writers and peace and social justice campaigners have signed the following statement against US interference in Brazil’s presidential election, and in support of the Brazilian social movements working for a more equal and just society, ahead of the election this Sunday.
On Sunday 25 October, Brazilians vote in a crucial run-off election between progressive President Lula and far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was jailed for his role in attempting a coup to overturn the 2022 election result.
The election will shape the future not only of Brazil but of wider Latin America, where far-right forces backed by Washington have made huge inroads in recent years as Trump seeks greater influence over the region and, especially, its rare earth minerals, which are essential for advanced technologies and AI.
The first-round results and subsequent opinion polls indicate an incredibly close contest.
We believe it is for the Brazilian people alone to decide their country’s future, free from outside interference.
So we are deeply alarmed that the Trump administration has made clear its support for the Bolsonaro movement and has been intervening in Brazilian politics in the run-up to the election.
This has involved economic and diplomatic pressure, including the imposition of punitive tariffs on Brazilian goods explicitly linked to political goals, Trump holding a White House meeting with Flávio Bolsonaro, and reported US funding for groups seeking to undermine Brazilian institutions.
There are also mounting concerns about the role of interference by US-based tech platforms in the election, including suppression of pro-Lula content and online political adverts funded from the US in breach of Brazilian electoral law.
All this led 31 members of the US Congress to recently express alarm at the scale of US interference and destabilisation in Brazil.
Brazilian social movements and trade unions have warned that a victory for Flávio Bolsonaro would pose a threat to the social progress achieved in recent years, a danger to the Amazon, to the rights of Brazil’s large black population and other minorities, and even to democracy itself.
We oppose all US interference in Brazil’s election and stand in solidarity with the Brazilian people, their democratic rights and the social movements working for a more equal and just society.
Initial signatories include:
Richard Burgon MP, Chair of the Brazil Solidarity Initiative
Diane Abbott MP
Lorraine Beavers MP
Órfhlaith Begley MP
Apsana Begum MP
Siân Berry MP
Ian Byrne MP
Ellie Chowns MP
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Pat Cullen MP
Carla Denyer MP
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP
Colum Eastwood MP
Cat Eccles MP
John Finucane MP
Chris Hazzard MP
Dáire Hughes MP
Imran Hussain MP
Kim Johnson MP
Ian Lavery MP
Brian Leishman MP
Clive Lewis MP
Rebecca Long-Bailey MP
Cathal Mallaghan MP
Rachael Maskell MP
Paul Maskey MP
John McDonnell MP
Grahame Morris MP
Simon Opher MP
Kate Osborne MP
Adrian Ramsay MP
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Hannah Spencer MP
Jon Trickett MP
Nadia Whittome MP
Christine Blower, Member of the House of Lords
John Hendy KC, Member of the House of Lords
Prem Sikka, Member of the House of Lords
Tony Woodley, Member of the House of Lords
Andrea Egan, General Secretary, UNISON
Maryam Eslamdoust, General Secretary, TSSA
Paul Fleming, General Secretary, Equity
Steve Gillan, General Secretary, POA
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary, NEU
Gawain Little, General Secretary, GFTU
Dave Ward, General Secretary, CWU
Sarah Woolley, General Secretary, BFAWU
Matt Wrack, General Secretary, NASUWT
Steve Wright, General Secretary, FBU
Jess Barnard, Labour NEC member
Marcus Barnett, Tribune
Sue Branford, Latin America Bureau
Lee Brown, Brazil Solidarity Initiative
Ben Chacko, Editor, Morning Star
Luke Daniel, President, Caribbean Labour Solidarity
Dr Francisco Dominguez, Co-author, Right-Wing Politics in the New Latin America
Sabby Dhalu, Co-Convenor, Stand up to Racism
Lindsey German, Convenor, Stop the War Coalition
Kate Hudson, Vice-President, CND
Myriam Kane, Black Liberation Alliance
Pablo Navarrete, Founding Editor, Alborada
Matt Willgress, Editor, Labour Outlook
Tim Young, Labour Friends of Progressive Latin America
- Add your name as an individual signatory to the statement here.
