Brazilian 2026 Election: Lula's Soft Power Skills Threatened by a Hard-Power World

https://www.fairobserver.com/region/latin_america/brazilian-2026-election-lulas-soft-power-skills-threatened-by-a-hard-power-world/

69 points · 5 comments · view on lemmy.world

5 Comments

Sunshine@piefed.ca · 15 pts · 6d (1 reply)

Donald Trump, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk hate Brazil with a burning passion.

inari@piefed.zip · 15 pts · 6d

They hate anything that threatens their money and power

ChristerMLB@piefed.social · 12 pts · 5d (1 reply)

I think this way of dividing it up is giving rulers like Bolsonaro more credit than they deserve. Both soft and hard power tools belong in the belt - but only an idiot poser tries to accomplish things with hard power, when soft power will do. A different kind of idiot thinks that hard power is never necessary.

bright_side_@piefed.world · 2 pts · 5d

I think there's a lot of truth in that. I did not think that I would see the world with a lot of hard power in play, not to the degree we now face. We saw we can't do without to defend ourselfs.

let's hope the world finds some more balance again

cecilkorik@piefed.ca · 3 pts · 5d

Mark Carney understands how and when to use soft power too. And as much as I dislike this (and dislike some of the things he's done, and is doing), even I have to admit soft power seems to work best when it's coordinated behind closed doors. I hope he and Lula are talking. I hope there are significant and powerful undercurrents to everything that's going on in the world. I think there are. It's the only way I can have hope for a better outcome than what seems obvious right now.

The middle powers like Canada and Brazil have to work together if they want to maintain their independence to choose their own destinies.