Brazil’s president is losing clout abroad and unpopular at home
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva put Brazil on the map, but he hasn’t adapted to a changed world

Editor’s note (July 3rd 2025): This article was first published on June 29th. On July 1st, Brazil’s foreign minister Mauro Vieira wrote to The Economist to defend Lula’s foreign policy. You can read an updated version of this article, including Mr Vieira’s response, here. You can read Mr Vieira’s letter in full here.
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