A final surge: On Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s triumph in Brazil

Lula is the resistance (विरोध, प्रतिरोध) to U.S. imperial (साम्राज्यवादी) ambitions in South America

At one point (एक समय पर, किसी समय), it seemed (प्रतीत होना, लगना) almost impossible (असंभव) for Brazil’s 80-year-old President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to turn the tide (to reverse a situation or change the course of events; reverse the situation, change the course of events, turn things around, alter the outcome) after finishing second to Flávio Bolsonaro in the first round of elections on October 4. In Brazil’s history, no candidate (उम्मीदवार, प्रत्याशी) who has finished second in the first round has gone on to (आगे बढ़ना) win the presidential run-off (a further election or poll held to decide the winner when no candidate in the first round has secured an absolute majority; second round, tiebreaker, final ballot, deciding vote). Most of the candidates who dropped out (to leave or stop participating in something, such as an election or a competition; withdraw, back out, pull out, quit) after the first round were from the right (conservatives, right-wingers, rightists, conservative bloc). Flávio’s Liberal Party (a major right-wing political party in Brazil, initially founded in 2006 (as Party of the Republic) and officially renamed the Liberal Party in 2019, known for pro-business and conservative stances) cemented its position in both houses of Congress, while right-wing candidates won several provincial (प्रांतीय, क्षेत्रीय) elections. But Lula, a former (पूर्व, भूतपूर्व) trade unionist (a member of a trade union; union member, union worker, union representative) and organiser, who lost a finger in an accident as a teenager, was not ready to give up (छोड़ देना, हार मान लेना). Lula and his Workers’ Party (a prominent centre-left to left-wing political party in Brazil, founded in 1980 by trade unionists, known for its social democratic and pro-labor policies) identified (पहचानना) campaign (अभियान, मुहिम) weaknesses (कमजोरी, कमज़ोर पक्ष), shifted (redirect, transfer, move, switch) their attention (ध्यान) to economic issues, promised growth and welfare (statutory procedure or social effort designed to promote the basic physical and material well-being of people in need; social security, public assistance, benefit, well-being), and persuaded (to convince someone to do or believe something; convince, coax, influence, sway) more voters to turn out (to go somewhere in order to vote or attend an event; attend, appear, show up, be present) for Sunday’s run-off. Lula won 51.7% of the vote against Flávio’s 48.2%, a greater lead (advantage, edge, margin, head start) than his victory against Jair Bolsonaro, Flavio’s father, four years ago. Over the weeks (during recent weeks, in the past few weeks), Lula turned the right-wing’s gains in the first round against it, highlighting (to draw special attention to; emphasize, stress, underline, spotlight) the threats (danger, risk, menace, hazard) that a Bolsonaro victory could pose (present or create a problem, threat, risk or challenge for someone or something; present, constitute, create, raise) to democracy (a constitutional system of government in which political authority ultimately derives from the people and is exercised through elected representatives, with political equality, universal adult suffrage, and constitutional guarantees of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity; popular government, representative government, self-government, popular rule, self-rule) and civil rights (the rights that protect individuals’ freedom, equality and fair treatment under the law and ensure their participation in society without discrimination; individual liberties, legal rights, equality rights, personal freedoms). Flávio’s campaign pledge (a promise made by a politician during an election campaign; election promise, manifesto promise, commitment, vow) to free (release, liberate, let go, discharge) his father — he is serving a 27-year prison sentence (the punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty by a court; punishment, prison term, judgment, penalty) for attempting to overturn Lula’s 2022 victory, and impeach Supreme Court judges — only heightened the concerns of voters outside the right wing, who rallied behind (to come together to support a person or cause; support, back, stand by, unite behind) a familiar face (recognizable person, well-known figure, known entity, household name).

Lula unleashed (to release a thing or an emotion forcefully; release, let loose, set free, discharge) a social media campaign to mobilise (to organize and encourage a group of people to take collective action; rally, marshal, muster, assemble) younger voters. A WhatsApp channel called (name, designate, term, label) ‘Lula’s Army’ with 11 million followers spread his message of continuity. He also announced plans to expand (increase, broaden, enlarge, extend) a cash payout (a large payment of money, especially as compensation or a dividend; payment, disbursement, settlement, reward) scheme for the poor, a new debt (a sum of money that is owed or due; liability, obligation, dues, arrears) relief package and entrepreneur-friendly (favorable to people who start and run businesses; pro-business, supportive of startups, commercial-friendly, pro-enterprise) measures (action, step, procedure, initiative). In the northeast, the Workers’ Party’s stronghold (an area where a particular political party or group has strong support; bastion, fortress, fort, safe seat), he gained nearly three million votes and made considerable (substantial, significant, sizable, ample) gains in the working-class (relating to people employed for wages, especially in manual-labour occupations; blue-collar, labouring, lower-middle-class, wage-earning) neighbourhoods (district, area, locality, community) of big cities, including São Paulo. A relatively (comparatively, moderately, somewhat, to a certain extent) stable (firm, secure, steady, solid) economic record, marked (to indicate or characterize something; characterize, distinguish, signify, define) by growth and falling (declining, dropping, decreasing, plunging) unemployment over (during) the past three and a half years, also lent credibility to Lula’s appeal. His victory bucks the recent trend in South America, where Washington-aligned right-wing and conservative (favoring free enterprise, private ownership, and socially traditional ideas; traditional, right-wing, orthodox, reactionary) forces (a group of people organized for a particular purpose or political movement; group, body, faction, outfit) have gained ground. While Lula offers predictable (foreseeable, expected, anticipated, reliable) stability (firmness, steadfastness, security, constancy) and social and economic inclusiveness (inclusivity, openness, equality, non-discrimination), he could also be, as the President of South America’s largest economy, a voice of resistance (a representative or expression of opposition to a prevailing power or policy; voice of opposition, dissenter, objector, symbol of defiance) to Donald Trump’s imperial ambitions. At the same time (simultaneously, concurrently, together, at once), Lula will have to work with a right-wing-controlled (dominated or governed by conservative political groups; conservative-led, right-dominated, conservative-controlled, orthodox-led) Congress to advance (to move forward in a purposeful way; promote, further, forward, push) his agenda. He should seek to build legislative consensus while focusing on addressing (to think about and begin to deal with an issue or problem; tackle, deal with, confront, attend to) the economic challenges of Brazil, which remains one of the most unequal (unfair, disproportionate, uneven, discriminatory) major world economies.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.resistance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विरोध, प्रतिरोध
English Meaning - opposition, defiance, refusal, objection.

2.imperial (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - साम्राज्यवादी
English Meaning - relating to an empire or a policy of extending a country’s power and influence; dictatorial, domineering, authoritarian, overbearing.

3.at one point (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - एक समय पर, किसी समय
English Meaning - at a specific/certain time in the past; previously, once.

4.seem (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतीत होना, लगना
English Meaning - appear, look, sound, give the impression of.

5.impossible (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - असंभव
English Meaning - unattainable, unachievable, unreachable, unworkable.

6.candidate (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उम्मीदवार, प्रत्याशी
English Meaning - nominee, applicant, contender, aspirant.

7.go on to (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - आगे बढ़ना
English Meaning - proceed, progress, move on, continue.

8.provincial (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रांतीय, क्षेत्रीय
English Meaning - relating to a province or region; regional, state, territorial.

9.former (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - पूर्व, भूतपूर्व
English Meaning - ex-, previous, erstwhile, one-time.

10.give up (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - छोड़ देना, हार मान लेना
English Meaning - to cease making an effort or admit defeat; surrender, concede defeat, quit, back down.

11.identify (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पहचानना
English Meaning - to recognize or distinguish something; recognize, pinpoint, spot, discern.

12.campaign (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अभियान, मुहिम
English Meaning - an organized series of actions intended to achieve a specific goal, especially in politics; strategy, drive, push, operation.

13.election campaign (noun)

Hindi Meaning - चुनावी अभियान
English Meaning - an organised effort to secure the election of a candidate to political office; political drive, canvassing, electioneering, political campaign.

14.weakness (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कमजोरी, कमज़ोर पक्ष
English Meaning - a disadvantage or fault; vulnerability, flaw, defect, shortcoming.

15.attention (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ध्यान
English Meaning - notice, thought, or interest; focus, observation, consideration, heed.

16.surge (noun)

English Meaning - a sudden increase, rise, growth, escalation.

17.turn the tide (phrase)

English Meaning - to reverse a situation or change the course of events; reverse the situation, change the course of events, turn things around, alter the outcome.

18.finish second to (phrase)

English Meaning - to end up in the second position behind someone else; come second, place second, fall behind, trail.

19.run-off (noun)

English Meaning - a further election or poll held to decide the winner when no candidate in the first round has secured an absolute majority; second round, tiebreaker, final ballot, deciding vote.

20.drop out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to leave or stop participating in something, such as an election or a competition; withdraw, back out, pull out, quit.

21.the right (noun)

English Meaning - conservatives, right-wingers, rightists, conservative bloc.

22.Liberal Party (noun)

English Meaning - a major right-wing political party in Brazil, initially founded in 2006 (as Party of the Republic) and officially renamed the Liberal Party in 2019, known for pro-business and conservative stances.

23.trade unionist (noun)

English Meaning - a member of a trade union; union member, union worker, union representative.

24.Workers’ Party (noun)

English Meaning - a prominent centre-left to left-wing political party in Brazil, founded in 1980 by trade unionists, known for its social democratic and pro-labor policies.

25.shift (verb)

English Meaning - redirect, transfer, move, switch.

26.welfare (noun)

English Meaning - statutory procedure or social effort designed to promote the basic physical and material well-being of people in need; social security, public assistance, benefit, well-being.

27.welfare measure (noun)

English Meaning - an action or policy taken by the government to improve the living conditions of citizens; social security initiative, public assistance step, aid program, social benefit.

28.persuade (verb)

English Meaning - to convince someone to do or believe something; convince, coax, influence, sway.

29.turn out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to go somewhere in order to vote or attend an event; attend, appear, show up, be present.

30.lead (noun)

English Meaning - advantage, edge, margin, head start.

31.over the weeks (phrase)

English Meaning - during recent weeks, in the past few weeks.

32.turn against (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to use someone’s own actions or advantages to their detriment; use against, direct against, use to one’s disadvantage, weaponise against.

33.highlight (verb)

English Meaning - to draw special attention to; emphasize, stress, underline, spotlight.

34.threat (noun)

English Meaning - danger, risk, menace, hazard.

35.pose (verb)

English Meaning - present or create a problem, threat, risk or challenge for someone or something; present, constitute, create, raise.

36.democracy (noun)

English Meaning - a constitutional system of government in which political authority ultimately derives from the people and is exercised through elected representatives, with political equality, universal adult suffrage, and constitutional guarantees of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity; popular government, representative government, self-government, popular rule, self-rule.

37.civil rights (noun)

English Meaning - the rights that protect individuals’ freedom, equality and fair treatment under the law and ensure their participation in society without discrimination; individual liberties, legal rights, equality rights, personal freedoms.

38.campaign pledge (noun)

English Meaning - a promise made by a politician during an election campaign; election promise, manifesto promise, commitment, vow.

39.free (verb)

English Meaning - release, liberate, let go, discharge.

40.sentence (noun)

English Meaning - the punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty by a court; punishment, prison term, judgment, penalty.

41.rally behind (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to come together to support a person or cause; support, back, stand by, unite behind.

42.familiar face (noun)

English Meaning - recognizable person, well-known figure, known entity, household name.

43.unleash (verb)

English Meaning - to release a thing or an emotion forcefully; release, let loose, set free, discharge.

44.mobilise (verb)

English Meaning - to organize and encourage a group of people to take collective action; rally, marshal, muster, assemble.

45.call (verb)

English Meaning - name, designate, term, label.

46.expand (verb)

English Meaning - increase, broaden, enlarge, extend.

47.payout (noun)

English Meaning - a large payment of money, especially as compensation or a dividend; payment, disbursement, settlement, reward.

48.debt (noun)

English Meaning - a sum of money that is owed or due; liability, obligation, dues, arrears.

49.entrepreneur-friendly (adjective)

English Meaning - favorable to people who start and run businesses; pro-business, supportive of startups, commercial-friendly, pro-enterprise.

50.measure (noun)

English Meaning - action, step, procedure, initiative.

51.stronghold (noun)

English Meaning - an area where a particular political party or group has strong support; bastion, fortress, fort, safe seat.

52.considerable (adjective)

English Meaning - substantial, significant, sizable, ample.

53.working-class (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to people employed for wages, especially in manual-labour occupations; blue-collar, labouring, lower-middle-class, wage-earning.

54.neighbourhood (noun)

English Meaning - district, area, locality, community.

55.relatively (adverb)

English Meaning - comparatively, moderately, somewhat, to a certain extent.

56.stable (adjective)

English Meaning - firm, secure, steady, solid.

57.mark (verb)

English Meaning - to indicate or characterize something; characterize, distinguish, signify, define.

58.falling (adjective)

English Meaning - declining, dropping, decreasing, plunging.

59.over (preposition)

English Meaning - during.

60.lend (verb)

English Meaning - to contribute or add a particular quality to something; impart, add, give, bestow.

61.conservative (adjective)

English Meaning - favoring free enterprise, private ownership, and socially traditional ideas; traditional, right-wing, orthodox, reactionary.

62.force (noun)

English Meaning - a group of people organized for a particular purpose or political movement; group, body, faction, outfit.

63.gain ground (phrase)

English Meaning - to become more popular, successful, or accepted; make progress, advance, make headway, move forward.

64.predictable (adjective)

English Meaning - foreseeable, expected, anticipated, reliable.

65.stability (noun)

English Meaning - firmness, steadfastness, security, constancy.

66.inclusiveness (noun)

English Meaning - inclusivity, openness, equality, non-discrimination.

67.voice of resistance (phrase)

English Meaning - a representative or expression of opposition to a prevailing power or policy; voice of opposition, dissenter, objector, symbol of defiance.

68.at the same time (phrase)

English Meaning - simultaneously, concurrently, together, at once.

69.right-wing-controlled (adjective)

English Meaning - dominated or governed by conservative political groups; conservative-led, right-dominated, conservative-controlled, orthodox-led.

70.advance (verb)

English Meaning - to move forward in a purposeful way; promote, further, forward, push.

71.address (verb)

English Meaning - to think about and begin to deal with an issue or problem; tackle, deal with, confront, attend to.

72.unequal (adjective)

English Meaning - unfair, disproportionate, uneven, discriminatory.

73.major world economy (noun)

English Meaning - a country with a significant and influential economic system on the global stage; global economic power.