Biden congratulates Lula for winning "free, fair" Brazil election
October 31, 2022, 6:30 am

Lula, Brazil's president from 2003 to 2010 (Photo: Official Twitter account)

U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday (Oct 30) congratulated Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for his victory in "free, fair and credible elections," in a statement adding that he looks forward to continued cooperation between the countries.

“I look forward to working together to continue the cooperation between our two countries in the months and years ahead,” Biden said of Lula.

With nearly 100 percent of votes counted Sunday night, Lula had 50.9 percent of the vote compared to 49.1 percent for Bolsonaro.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also congratulated the people of Brazil “for exercising their right to vote and reaffirming the strength of their democracy.”

Blinken stressed that they look forward to continuing their strong partnership with Lula “as we build a democratic, prosperous, and equitable hemisphere.”

The former and incumbent presidents were the top two candidates in a general election earlier this month, advancing to Sunday’s runoff.

US President Joe Biden - Twitter account

Lula was previously president of Brazil from 2003 to 2010, leading his left-wing Workers’ Party to soaring popularity.

However, after leaving office he was swept up in a massive corruption scandal that landed him in prison for 19 months. A Supreme Court justice nullified his convictions in March 2021, clearing him to run for president again.

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Bolsonaro has been called “Trump of the tropics” and has been a deeply divisive president, battling with the country’s Supreme Court, overseeing massive clearcutting of the Amazon rainforest and spreading skepticism about COVID-19 and vaccines.

Trump on Sunday morning (Oct 30) urged Brazilian voters to return Bolsonaro to the president’s office.

“To the People of Brazil, this is your big day, and also, a big day for the World. Your GREAT and Highly Respected President, Jair Bolsonaro, needs you to get out and Vote, TODAY, so that your Country can continue on its incredible path of success,” Trump wrote.

Lula wins first round of Brazil's presidential election

“Don’t let the Radical Left Lunatics & Maniacs destroy Brazil like they have so many other countries.”

Lula will become Brazil's 39th president on Jan. 1, 2023 after serving as the nation’s 35th president from 2003 to 2010.

He promised tax hikes on the rich and increased government services for the poor during the campaign, but has offered few specifics.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
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