-------------------------------------------- Brazilian developments 2018.01.24 21:27:35 CET -------------------------------------------- This is the first time I'm posting about Brazil and politics here. usually try to avoid the topic because it usually devolves into ideology discussions and I'm too pragmatic to follow an ideology. today's case I decided to open an exception. I don't know if you know what is happening in Brazil, but this yea we'll have presidential elections and today something which change the whole political landscape happened. Luis InĂ¡cio da Silva, most commonly known as Lula, former president for two terms between 200 and 2011, had his criminal conviction confirmed by the appropriate appeals court. This means he will not be run for office in the upcoming elections (unless the electoral court decides otherwise, this is extremely unlikely). According to recent polls, Lula was the favorite to win the elections, so it's expected this decision will not be warmly recei by many. Honestly, I think it's a good one. I have no dreams this will change the rampant corruption in Brazil but I think this is a good opportunity for the left to reinvent itself. Lula is an extremely polarizing candidate and besides all troublesome comments he made (for example, saying he would persecu the media outlets which criticized him if he was in office again), would only split society even further. Now it is a good time for t left to re-strategize, separate itself from popular idols and toke politicians, and build a real government plan for future elections Unfortunately, the more I think about this the more I realize it i also a dream. The reaction will be the usual, the Workers' Party ( will cry injustice and try to run a half-assed candidate with a half-assed project. And what worries me is they will loose to a cr extreme right-wing populist candidate.