Brazil in April 2026: the most important developments in politics
Brazil's politics in April 2026 ended with a historic defeat for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. On 29 April the Senate rejected his Supreme Court nominee, Jorge Messias, the first such rejection in 132 years. Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, said he had not orchestrated the vote and argued that the result showed Lula no longer had governability. Earlier in the month Lula had named the government leader as political liaison minister and pledged closer outreach to the Senate, and on 28 April he returned to the Senate, expressing confidence in a tight outcome.
The October election shaped much of the month. A Datafolha poll on 11 April put Lula at 39 percent in the first round and Flavio Bolsonaro at 35 percent, with Lula statistically tied with Flavio Bolsonaro, Romeu Zema and Ronaldo Caiado in hypothetical runoffs. Polls at the end of the month again showed Lula leading the first round and tied with Flavio Bolsonaro in a runoff. Flavio Bolsonaro narrowed his vice-presidential choices to Tereza Cristina and Zema, shifted his strategy toward farmers, and faced a police investigation. Lula skipped the Agrishow agricultural fair. Jair Bolsonaro was reported to be under house arrest, and the Chamber moved faster on a bill to reduce his sentence. Brazil's former intelligence chief, a fugitive, was detained by US immigration authorities.
Abroad, Lula repeatedly criticised President Trump, saying on 16 April that Trump had no right to threaten a nation. He toured Europe, signed agreements in Spain, visited Portugal, and met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the Hannover Messe, where the two discussed defence and raw materials. Brazil, Mexico and Spain called for Cuba's sovereignty to be protected and pledged more aid. The United States asked Brazil's security attache to leave, and Brazil revoked the credentials of a US police officer in Brasilia.
At home, Lula sent Congress a bill to end the 6x1 work schedule, and Congress prepared to vote on his veto of sentence reductions for those convicted over the January 8 riots.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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