The election served as a yardstick for the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to gauge its level of support abroad and its political capital. But the campaign suffered from another obstacle: Jair Bolsonaro’s government was the last to join the campaign for the vacancy, announcing that Brazil wanted the position back.
In practice, when the Brazilian government began meeting with delegations from around the world to ask for support, many reported that they had already decided on the three other candidates.
Nevertheless, diplomatic work and Lula’s speech at the opening of the UN General Assembly on September 19 ensured that the campaign gained strength.
In 2019, under Jair Bolsonaro’s government, Brazil was elected with 153 votes to fill the seat between 2020 and 2021. At that point, Venezuela had 105 votes.
Within the Council, Brazil can participate in all debates, present draft resolutions and, above all, vote for proposals on some of the most sensitive issues at the international level.
Activists’ dismay and applause at Russia’s defeat
The election continued to be marked by activists’ dismay over China’s victory. Beijing, which itself has been accused of human rights violations by the United Nations, will remain on the Council in 2024 with the task of continuing its project to redefine the concept of human rights.