Brazil’s Lula pitches his nation — and himself — as fresh leader for Global South

By DAVID BILLER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — “Brazil is back.” That has been Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s refrain for the better part of the last year, with the newly elected president deploying the snappy slogan to cast Brazil and himself as leaders of the Global South. Last year, Lula thwarted the reelection bid of far-right Jair Bolsonaro, who showed little interest in geopolitics or diplomacy during his four years in office. Lula, by contrast, has crisscrossed the globe and visited 21 countries. He was the first leader to speak at the United Nations this week, and his speech reflected his larger goal — to be a more active participant, and leader, in world affairs.