Hollywood celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio and his Shutter Island co-star Mark Ruffalo celebrated the narrow presidential victory of Brazil’s socialist candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva over incumbent conservative populist Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday.
Celebrities called it a win for the environment while also expressing hope that the same thing will happen in the United States.
“The outcome of the Brazilian election presents an opportunity to change the course of history, not just for Brazil & the Amazon, but for the world,” DiCaprio tweeted.
“Thank you for being a champion of democracy, of the people, the Amazon, and all living things within,” Ruffalo tweeted.
“They defeated extremism and fascism in Brazil. Let’s do it in America,” Star Trek’s George Takei posted.
As Breitbart News reported, Lula eked out a victory over Bolsonaro on Sunday, with a little more than a percentage point separating the candidates. Lula, 77, is a hardline socialist who was once convicted and sentenced to over two decades in prison for alleged corruption.
His win represents his third term in office after serving as president from 2003 to 2011. Lula has put the environment and climate change activism at the center of his candidacy.
“Let’s fight for zero deforestation,” Lula reportedly said Sunday night. “Brazil is ready to resume its leading role in the fight against the climate crisis, protecting all our biomes, especially the Amazon forest.”
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