Connect with us

Published

on

Music, cheering, noise, chaos, and above all – dancing.

There is nothing quite like being on the Brazilian election trail.

Exuberant is the only word I can think of.

We joined the supporters of Lula da Silva in Sao Bernardo do Campo, a dormitory town on the edge of Sao Paulo city.

Enormous sound systems blared out the favourite Lula anthems, and people danced and cheered and sang along.

They came in their thousands to see the man they consider to be a saviour from the right-wing presidency of Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula, a former president, is bidding to stage a remarkable comeback to the top of the political ladder.

More on Brazil

Arrested in 2018 on corruption charges, later quashed, he was consistently the most popular political leader in the world with approval ratings in the 80-90% range during his time in office from 2003 to 2011.

supporters of Lula da Silva in Sao Bernardo do Campo, a dormitory town on the edge of Sao Paulo city

Many thought he could capture the presidency in the first round last Sunday, and he didn’t.

But, worse for both Lula and his party, President Bolsonaro confounded the polls and closed the gap to a handful of points.

Now everything is to play for in the days leading up to the decisive second round on 30 October.

Despite that exuberance on the streets, Lula’s team were shocked by how much the president made up ground. But the people we talked to in the crowds say they still believe in their man.

“We’re going to fight for him. I’m fighting,” says 61-year-old Maria Francisca Neves.

supporters of Lula da Silva in Sao Bernardo do Campo, a dormitory town on the edge of Sao Paulo city. Maria
Image:
Maria

Maria has travelled from the Jardim Limpao favela, where she lives. She is unemployed and says she and many others are struggling to survive.

“We want them to fight for us, for us to be able to eat meat again, to have our table full of food, for us to have a glass of milk to drink in the morning and be able to give that to our children, to be able to go to university…”

“We are in a battle, and we are going to win. Lula will get there, I have faith in God, I thank God!” she added passionately.

supporters of Lula da Silva in Sao Bernardo do Campo, a dormitory town on the edge of Sao Paulo city. Erivan (left)
Image:
Erivan (left)

Another supporter, Erivan Paulino de Souza, said he would have preferred Lula had won in the first round to put an end to the tension.

“But everything we have achieved in our lives has been through fighting – we go and conquer, nothing has ever been easy for us,” he explained.

“This is not the first election that has gone to the second round, and so we will fight until the end.”

supporters of Lula da Silva in Sao Bernardo do Campo, a dormitory town on the edge of Sao Paulo city
Image:
Lula da Silva

They all waited in the blistering heat for hours when, finally, he appeared from the side door of the union building on the street where he was arrested in 2018.

He was helped onto the back of a truck, joined by politicians from his Workers’ Party.

And so began a chaotic caravan through the streets of the town.

This is the first time Lula has been back on the campaign trail since he failed in that first round, and they loved it.

supporters of Lula da Silva in Sao Bernardo do Campo, a dormitory town on the edge of Sao Paulo city

The streets were jammed with supporters, waving flags, and dancing. Many were trying to touch Lula or to at least get his attention.

A huge cheer erupted when the would-be president began taking photos of the crowd with a professional camera.

Almost certainly a move to underline his basic campaign message that he is for the people and part of the people.

He has certainly aged and is not the energetic president of the past, but he still shows the touch of the ‘man of the people’ which has proved so popular for so long.

The real question though is whether his type of politics can appeal to an electorate that is already terribly divided.

Followed by thousands, we watched as Lula and his entourage and political colleagues wound their way through the streets.

Shoppers and shop owners watching on as this loud parade made its way to a nearby square.

supporters of Lula da Silva in Sao Bernardo do Campo, a dormitory town on the edge of Sao Paulo city

Most held their hands in the air with their thumb and index fingers in the shape of an L.

L for Lula, they say, and L for love.

Read more:
The marginalised people in communities like favelas hold the balance of power
Brazil’s rainforest is under attack again

Once the caravan got to the square, the 76-year-old addressed the crowd, promising not to give up, and warning against the spread of misinformation.

“You know that our adversary’s speciality is to lie, seven or eight lies a day through fake news, through zap (WhatsApp), through any other way to talk to people.

“In the next 24 days, you have to be alert, you need to know how to tell truth from the lies,” he said.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

‘Too poor to vote’ in Brazil election

Presidential elections are often won by the candidate with momentum.

In truth President Bolsonaro grabbed that momentum when he drew near to his adversary.

Lula needs new momentum now. And he and his team hope that this is the start.

Continue Reading

World

Donald Trump confirms Mexico and Canada tariffs – prompting a stock sell-off

Published

on

By

Donald Trump confirms Mexico and Canada tariffs - prompting a stock sell-off

Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada have come into effect, as has an additional 10% on Chinese products, bringing the total import tax to 20%.

The US president confirmed the tariffs in a speech at the White House – and his announcement sent US and European stocks down sharply.

The tariffs will be felt heavily by US companies which have factories in Canada and Mexico, such as carmakers.

Mr Trump said: “They’re going to have a tariff. So what they have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs.”

There’s “no room left” for a deal that would see the tariffs shelved if fentanyl flowing into the US is curbed by its neighbours, he added.

Mexico and Canada face tariffs of 25%, with 10% for Canadian energy, the Trump administration confirmed.

And tariffs on Chinese imports have doubled, raising them from 10% to 20%.

More on Donald Trump

Canada announced it would retaliate immediately, imposing 25% tariffs on US imports worth C$30bn (£16.3bn). It added the tariffs would be extended in 21 days to cover more US goods entering the country if the US did not lift its sanctions against Canada.

China also vowed to retaliate and reiterated its stance that the Trump administration was trying to “shift the blame” and
“bully” Beijing over fentanyl flows.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

What is America’s trade position?

Mr Trump’s speech stoked fears of a trade war in North America, prompting a financial market sell-off.

Stock market indexes the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq Composite fell by 1.48% and 2.64% respectively on Monday.

The share prices for automobile companies including General Motors, which has significant truck production in Mexico, Automaker and Ford also fell.

👉 Follow Trump 100 on your podcast app 👈

Consumers in the US could see price hikes within days, an expert has said.

Gustavo Flores-Macias, a public policy professor at Cornell University, New York, said “the automobile sector, in particular, is likely to see considerable negative consequences”.

This is due to supply chains that “crisscross the three countries in the manufacturing process” and ” because of the expected increase in the price of vehicles, which can dampen demand,” he added.

Read more:
The effects of Trump trade tariffs explained
Trump hits out at Zelenskyy again

The Trump administration is gearing up to bring in other tariffs in the coming weeks.

On 2 April, reciprocal tariffs will take effect on all countries that impose duties on US products.

He is also considering 25% tariffs on goods from the EU “very soon” after claiming the bloc was created to “screw the United States”.

Continue Reading

World

More than 30 killed in Bolivia bus crash – second deadly collision within days

Published

on

By

More than 30 killed in Bolivia bus crash - second deadly collision within days

A truck has collided with a bus in southern Bolivia, killing at least 31 people, according to police – just two days after a deadly crash claimed at least 37 lives.

Officers said the bus rolled some 500m (1,640ft) down a ravine after the collision on Monday, which took place on the highway between Oruro, in the Bolivian Altiplano, and the highland mining city of Potosi.

The driver of the truck has been arrested, while the cause of the accident is under investigation.

Police spokesperson Limbert Choque said men and women were among the dead, and 22 people suffered injuries.

** on right of picture are bodies ** First responders work at the site after a crash between a vehicle and a bus along a highway in Lenas, Potosi, southern Bolivia, March 3, 2025, in this handout image obtained from social media. Bolivia's Attorney General/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT
Image:
Rescue teams operating at the site of the crash. Pic: Bolivia’s attorney general/Reuters

Bolivia’s President, Luis Arce, expressed condolences for the victims on social media: “This unfortunate event must be investigated to establish responsibilities,” he said in a post on Facebook.

“We send our most sincere condolences to the bereaved families, wishing them the necessary strength to face these difficult times.”

Map showing location of collision, which took place on the highway between Oruro, in the Bolivian Altiplano, and the highland mining city of Potosi.
Image:
The crash happened between Oruro and Potosi

On Saturday morning, a crash between two buses killed more than three dozen people in the same region.

More on Bolivia

It happened between Colchani and the city of Uyuni, a major tourist attraction and the world’s largest salt flat.

People stand near the wreckage of one of the two buses involved in the crash.
Pic: Reuters/Potosi Departmental Command
Image:
People stand near the wreckage of one of the two buses involved in a crash on Saturday. Pic: Reuters/Potosi Departmental Command

Coincidentally, one of the buses was heading to Oruro, where one of the most important carnival celebrations in Latin America is currently taking place.

Read more from Sky News:
Pope suffered ‘acute respiratory failure’
Drones weakening Russia’s combat ability

More than 30 people were also killed after a bus crash on 17 February.

In that crash, police said the driver appeared to have lost control of the vehicle, causing it to drop more than 800m (2,600ft) off a precipice in the southwestern area of Yocalla.

Bolivia’s mountainous, undermaintained and poorly supervised roads are some of the deadliest in the world, claiming an average 1,400 fatalities every year.

Continue Reading

World

The Pope has had ‘two episodes of acute respiratory failure’, Vatican says

Published

on

By

The Pope has had 'two episodes of acute respiratory failure', Vatican says

The Pope has had two episodes of “acute respiratory failure”, the Vatican has said.

The 88-year-old has been in hospital since 14 February with a severe respiratory infection that triggered other complications.

The Vatican said the respiratory failures were caused by “significant accumulation” of mucus in his lungs and a “bronchospasm”, akin to an asthma attack.

Doctors were then required to perform two bronchoscopies – a test which sees medics use a long, thin, telescope with a light to look into the lungs – to evaluate the Pope’s air passages, the statement said.

“In the afternoon, non-invasive mechanical ventilation was resumed,” the Vatican continued. “The Holy Father has always remained vigilant, oriented and collaborative. The prognosis remains reserved.”

Vatican sources said the situation had been calm this morning, before becoming worse this afternoon.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Behind the scenes at the Vatican

The respiratory issues the Pope suffered today are due to an ongoing infection rather than a new one but he is not out of danger, they added.

Asked if the Pope is in good spirits, they gave no answer. When asked if the Vatican’s apartment is getting ready to welcome Francis back, the source said it was too premature to discuss this.

His clinical picture remains complex, they said.

More from Sky News:
Artist found dead at his flat
Trump hits out at Zelenskyy again

Earlier on Monday, Pope Francis issued a written message after Vatican officials begged him to let his voice be heard following more than two weeks out of public view.

He thanked his doctors for their care and well-wishers for their prayers, before praying for peace in Ukraine and elsewhere.

“From here, war appears even more absurd,” he wrote.

Catholic faithful attend a nightly rosary prayer for the health of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Image:
People at a nightly rosary prayer for the Pope in St. Peter’s Square yesterday evening. Pic: AP

This has become the longest public absence of his 12-year papacy.

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski presided over the evening rosary prayer in St Peter’s Square on Sunday night.

“Let us pray together with the entire church for the health of the Holy Father Francis,” he said.

Continue Reading

Trending