Lula's win means Brazil's embassy stays in Tel Aviv, not Jerusalem
Workers Party leader wins 51.79% of the vote, halting a planned relocation of the diplomatic mission to Jerusalem that his opponent had promised to fast-track in 2027.
By Trevor Wilson ·
Luiz Inácio da Silva secured 51.79% of the valid votes in Brazil's presidential runoff, defeating center-right senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who received 48.21%. The result maintains the status quo for Brazil's diplomatic presence in Israel, keeping the embassy in Tel Aviv rather than moving it to Jerusalem as Bolsonaro had planned.
Bolsonaro, a member of the Liberal Party, campaigned on a platform of closer alignment with Israel. During a meeting with Jewish leaders in Buenos Aires on June 28, 2026, he outlined a specific timeline for this diplomatic shift. He stated that in 2027, Brazil would not only appoint an ambassador to Israel but would also move its embassy to the city of Jerusalem.
The two candidates hold contrasting views on the conflict in Gaza. Lula, who leads the Workers Party, has criticized Israel's military operations. Bolsonaro, conversely, pledged a strong diplomatic partnership and cultivated ties with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu publicly supported Bolsonaro's candidacy on X following the first round on October 4, expressing hope for restoring friendship between the two nations.
Tensions between the Lula administration and Israel rose earlier this year. In January 2024, Lula's government endorsed South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. In February 2024, Lula compared the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza to the Holocaust, a remark that triggered a diplomatic crisis. CONIB, Brazil's Jewish umbrella organization, condemned the comparison as a distortion that offended Holocaust victims and their descendants.
Bolsonaro did not accept the election results, though the path for a formal challenge remains unclear. His victory in the first round on October 4 had initially suggested a shift in regional alignment, but his loss in the runoff pauses that momentum.
Brazil's election outcome contrasts with recent trends across Latin America. Several regional leaders have moved closer to Israel since 2023. Argentine President Javier Milei has made support for Israel central to his foreign policy. Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz Pereira restored diplomatic relations in 2025 after his predecessor severed them. Honduran President Nasry Asfura formally recognized Israel's new ambassador in 2025. Chilean President José Antonio Kast is rebuilding ties, while Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, elected in May, restored diplomatic ties and withdrew from the ICJ genocide case against Israel.
The next step for Brazilian diplomacy depends on the new administration's priorities. With Lula's reelection confirmed, the embassy will remain in Tel Aviv for the time being, and the 2027 relocation plan is no longer a guaranteed policy action.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
