President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, known as the 'Godfather of South American left,' is making a diplomatic push by visiting China and France in succession during his third term in office. Amid a continuous decline in domestic approval ratings, he is criticized for his stance against the U.S.-led international order and is emphasizing solidarity among South American countries, with an analysis noting a shift toward multilateralism.
According to Bloomberg on the 10th (local time), President Lula has been aggressively managing his overseas schedule recently. Last month, he signed over 30 investment agreements with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, and shortly after, he held a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
Behind Lula's aggressive diplomacy lies an unstable domestic political situation. Growing public resentment toward the government due to accumulated inflation has caused President Lula's approval ratings to plummet.
A survey released by the Brazilian polling agency Datafolha shows that President Lula's approval rating hit a record low of 35% last month since taking office. This is the result of a combination of high inflation, sluggish economic growth, unfulfilled major reforms, and weakened negotiation power in Congress. According to a poll by LatAm Pulse, cited by Bloomberg, Lula's approval rating has dropped by about 13 percentage points since October, particularly due to soaring food prices.
It appears that Lula is trying to enhance his political presence through the diplomatic stage. During the previous summit in Paris, he held a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, emphasizing the financial responsibilities of developed nations regarding the climate and health crises facing developing countries. This can also be interpreted as a message aimed at his domestic support base, which consists of the poor and the middle class.
He also seems to aim for an economic turnaround through trade. Last month, Lula visited China, Brazil's largest trading partner, and his government has made securing a stable supply chain for expanding exports focused on agricultural products and minerals a key priority. In a speech in Tianjin, he mentioned a 'fair multilateral order,' throwing a challenge to the U.S.-led global order.
Even amid escalating U.S.-China tensions, Brazil has openly criticized the U.S.'s nationalist behavior and has built a foreign policy centered on its own national interests. President Lula has previously criticized both Russia and the West regarding major global issues, such as the war in Ukraine, and urged former President Donald Trump to 'realize that he needs to respect the sovereignty of other nations.'
Additionally, Lula is accelerating efforts to expand influence through solidarity with South American countries. Brazil is set to host the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro next month and is promoting cooperation among South American nations, branding as the Global South, primarily referring to emerging and developing countries located in the southern hemisphere.
Marcelo Horta, a professor of political science at São Paulo Catholic University, noted, 'Lula has returned to power for a third term, but he is facing leadership crises due to a lack of cooperation from Congress and socio-economic challenges.' He added, 'He is trying to overcome the domestic political crisis by highlighting an image as a responsible global leader through diplomatic achievements on the international stage.'
However, it remains uncertain whether such diplomatic efforts will lead to a recovery in domestic approval ratings. The opposition has attacked Lula's overseas trips as 'a facade to distract from policy failures,' and public support has yet to show any significant rebound.
Maria Hermínia Tavares, a professor of political science at São Paulo University, analyzed, 'The issues that the public considers have changed compared to the past, and Lula is failing to present the answers demanded by today's society.'