Latin America’s ‘pink tide’ leaders hail win

NEW DELHI: Latin America leaders on Sunday congratulated Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva after he won a third term as president, consolidating the region’s “pink tide” of elected leftist leaders.

His victory leaves Brazil joining Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Peru in a growing leftist bloc. “Long live Lula,” tweeted Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, his country’s first leftist president. The pink tide first described a wave of leftist governments that emerged in the 2000s starting with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Bolivia’s Evo Morales, as well as Lula himself. Countries over the following decade swung to the right.

But the pink tide returned as inflation and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic led frustrated voters in Latin America to ditch mainstream parties. “Congratulations brother,” wrote Bolivian President Luis Arce. “Your victory strengthens democracy and integration in Latin America.” “Democracy won today in Brazil,” said Venezuela President Maduro.