Lula 3.0: foreign policy reconstruction and Brazil’s return to the world

Abstract The article evaluates the foreign policy of the two first years of President Lula´s third mandate, after the isolationist turn of the Bolsonaro years. The author highlights the main aspects conditioning Brazil’s initiatives to return to the world stage, by separating them into three levels of analysis: decision-makers, state, and systemic. It identifies that, compared to Lula´s previous mandates, the first level is the most stable and that major changes occurred in the other two. The article evaluates Brazil´s current foreign policy in the areas of peace and security; climate change and sustainable development; and South American integration. It concludes that Brazil´s reengagement with international organizations and bilateral partners in the biennium was broadly favorable. The country has succeeded in maintaining its neutrality in face of the conflict in Ukraine and restored the historically balanced stance on the Gaza conflict. It resumed its leadership role in climate governance and sustainable development, especially in its dimension of combating hunger and poverty. Brazil´s efforts, however, were not able to reinstate an institutional framework gathering the whole of South America. The article anticipates that, for the rest of the mandate, defending Brazilian democracy will be a major component of the country foreign policy.