Former Brazilian presidential candidate and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who lost the second round of the presidential election to incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, arrived in the United States and declared himself the country’s legitimately elected president. The politician subsequently revised his statement, calling himself the “leader of Brazil,” but continued to refuse to recognize the voting results, Reuters reported.
Bolsonaro arrived in Miami on October 28 aboard a private plane with his wife and two daughters. After the second round of the election on October 25, he left Brazil, first crossing the land border into Argentina and then flying to the United States via Ecuador.
In an open letter published on the social network X, Bolsonaro initially described himself as the “true elected president of Brazil.” However, some time later, he deleted the original version and published a new document, replacing that wording with “leader of Brazil.”
The politician claimed that he had become a victim of alleged fraud in the presidential election and political persecution by the Brazilian authorities. However, he did not present evidence of large-scale irregularities capable of changing the voting results.
In his statement, Bolsonaro also thanked US President Donald Trump for allowing him to enter the country and Argentine President Javier Milei for his assistance during the trip.
The US administration had previously authorized Bolsonaro and his family members to enter the United States. Trump himself, commenting on the Brazilian politician’s statement, declined to assess his claim to the presidency but again described the election as strange.
According to the official results of Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE), published on October 26, Lula da Silva won the second round with 64,256,232 votes, or 51.79%. Flávio Bolsonaro received 59,826,041 votes, or 48.21%.
The difference between the candidates amounted to 4.43 million votes.
The voting results were recognized by Brazilian electoral authorities, international observers and the leadership of the Liberal Party, under whose banner Bolsonaro ran.
One of the losing candidate’s arguments concerned the decision by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court to extend polling station hours by two hours. However, according to an analysis of electoral authorities’ data, fewer than 35,000 votes were cast during the additional period, significantly fewer than the final margin between the candidates.
Bolsonaro’s departure came amid an investigation into the politician on suspicion of money laundering. The Supreme Federal Court had previously ordered him to surrender his passports, but the senator left the country without complying with the order. Bolsonaro himself denies allegations of unlawful conduct and claims that he left to protect his family. In the published letter, he also stated that he intends to continue his political activities and lead the opposition from abroad.
The situation could further complicate relations between Brazil and the United States. Lula had previously accused Washington of supporting the Bolsonaro family, while the US administration rejected accusations of interfering in Brazil’s internal affairs.
According to political analysts, Bolsonaro’s presence in the United States could create new opportunities for the international activities of his supporters, but at the same time complicate the management of the opposition movement within Brazil.
Despite the defeat in the presidential election, conservative political forces significantly strengthened their representation in the National Congress, which will preserve their influence over legislative activity and economic policy during the next presidential term.
Flávio Bolsonaro is the eldest son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who led the country from 2019 to 2022. Jair Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence in a case involving an attempted coup d’état following his defeat in the 2022 election.
Brazil delivered a new batch of medicines to Ukraine under an international humanitarian aid program, the Brazilian Embassy in Kyiv reported.
The shipment was received in October by the Health Department of the Zakarpattia Region in Uzhhorod.
The donated medicines are intended to treat patients with secondary progressive forms of multiple sclerosis, adults with moderate and severe rheumatoid arthritis, as well as children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
The Brazilian Embassy noted that the new shipment continues bilateral cooperation in the humanitarian sphere and is aimed at supporting Ukraine’s healthcare system amid ongoing humanitarian challenges.
“This new contribution reaffirms Brazil’s firm support for Ukraine and reflects the strong strategic partnership between the two countries, based on longstanding historical and cultural ties,” the embassy’s statement said.
The Brazilian side also stated its intention to continue developing bilateral cooperation and to provide assistance to Ukraine in the humanitarian sphere.
The new batch of medicines represented another delivery of Brazilian humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Source: Brazilian Embassy in Kyiv
Canada has the highest balance of positive and negative attitudes among Ukrainians—not only among the countries represented in the Americas and Australia, but also among all countries covered by the study: in August 2026, it stood at 73.8 percentage points. Australia scored 61.6 percentage points, the U.S. — 38.4 percentage points, and Brazil — 19.4 percentage points. These findings are based on the results of the third wave of the study “Ukrainians’ Attitudes Toward Countries Around the World,” conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club, according to the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center.
Canada is viewed positively by 76.3% of Ukrainians surveyed, negatively by only 2.5%, neutrally by 19.2%, and another 2% were undecided. As a result, the balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 73.8 percentage points—the highest value among Ukraine’s 50 largest trading partners included in the study.
Australia ranks second in this regional group: 63.8% of respondents expressed a positive attitude toward it, 32.1% were neutral, only 2.2% were negative, and another 2% were undecided. The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 61.6 percentage points, which also indicates a predominantly positive perception of the country among the Ukrainian audience.
Fifty-five percent of respondents view the U.S. positively, 16.6% negatively, 25.6% neutrally, and another 2.7% were unable to answer. The balance stands at 38.4 percentage points. At the same time, this figure has improved significantly compared to the previous survey wave: in March 2026, the figure was 19.4 percentage points, while in August 2025, it was 32.3 percentage points. Thus, over the course of five months, the balance of attitudes toward the U.S. has increased by 19 percentage points.
Brazil is viewed much more neutrally. Twenty-eight percent of Ukrainians expressed a positive attitude, while 59.7% chose a neutral response, 8.6% expressed a negative attitude, and another 3.7% were undecided. The balance of positive and negative assessments stands at 19.4 percentage points, compared to 21 percentage points in March 2026 and 12 percentage points in August 2025.
Thus, the data reveal significant differences within the group: Canada and Australia are characterized by a high level of established positive attitudes; in the U.S., positive assessments also predominate and have increased noticeably compared to March, while a neutral stance dominates regarding Brazil. Overall, Canada tops the entire ranking of the surveyed countries with a balance of +73.8 percentage points
Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center, deputy director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, and candidate of economic sciences, emphasized the need for systematic communication between foreign countries and Ukrainian society.
The survey was conducted in August 2026 using self-administered online questionnaires in the SunFlowerSociology panel among 800 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. According to the organizers, the sample is representative in terms of age, gender, and region; the maximum theoretical statistical margin of error for indicators at the 50% confidence level is ±3.5 percentage points. This is the third wave of the study, following surveys conducted in August 2025 and March 2026.
ACTIVE GROUP, AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL, CANADA, EXPERTS CLUB, PUBLIC OPINION, SOCIOLOGY, the U.S., UKRAINE, URAKIN
Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party candidate and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, finished first in Brazil’s presidential election on October 4, 2026, receiving 47.03% of valid votes. Incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured 45.16%. A runoff election will take place on October 25, according to the Experts Club information and analytical center.
Bolsonaro received 56.10 million votes, compared with Lula’s 53.88 million, leaving a gap of approximately 2.22 million votes. Writer Augusto Cury finished third with 2.89%, followed by Renan Santos with 2.24% and Ronaldo Caiado with 2.18%. Approximately 119.3 million valid votes were cast.
The first-round results surprised most polling organizations, which had predicted either a narrow Lula lead or a statistical tie. Meanwhile, more than 33.4 million Brazilians, or 21.1% of registered voters, abstained from voting. This represented the highest first-round presidential election abstention rate since 1998.
Alexander Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group, said the results demonstrated the continuing political strength of Bolsonarism following Jair Bolsonaro’s departure.
“The first round showed that Bolsonarism in Brazil has not only survived Jair Bolsonaro’s departure but has also proved capable of transferring political capital to the next generation. Lula’s problem is that he has already mobilized a significant part of his traditional electorate, while Flávio Bolsonaro now has an opportunity to consolidate the votes of most candidates from the right-wing and center-right camps,” Pozniy said.
Bolsonaro’s position strengthened after Romeu Zema, Ronaldo Caiado and several right-wing parties announced their support. Meanwhile, nearly 9 million votes cast for eliminated candidates remain an important potential source of support in the runoff.
The parliamentary elections provided Bolsonaro with another advantage. The Liberal Party won 121 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and increased its representation in the Senate to 28 seats. Together with its allies, a potential Bolsonaro bloc could control approximately 259 seats in the lower house and 48 in the Senate.
“A gap of two million votes with more than 33 million people not turning out to vote means that the second round cannot be considered a foregone conclusion. But the candidates’ starting positions are not equal. Bolsonaro has already secured the support of several right-wing candidates and parties, while Lula will have to simultaneously mobilize his own base, attract moderate voters and reduce abstention,” Pozniy emphasized.
The geopolitical consequences of the election are also significant. Lula advocates Brazil’s strategic autonomy and maintaining balanced relations with the United States, China and BRICS. Bolsonaro favors closer political cooperation with US President Donald Trump’s administration while preserving economic ties with China.
For Ukraine, a change in Brazil’s administration could potentially lead to adjustments in the country’s diplomatic position on the Russia-Ukraine war. However, an automatic reversal of Brazilian foreign policy should not be assumed.
According to Experts Club, the runoff outcome will depend primarily on mobilizing voters who missed the first round, redistributing votes cast for eliminated candidates, public expectations regarding the economy and the cost of living, and Lula’s ability to overcome the political momentum Bolsonaro gained after October 4.
The second round is scheduled for October 25, 2026.
According to the European Union’s statistical office, in 2025, European Union countries imported 2.9 million metric tons of coffee worth a total of EUR 18.7 billion from non-EU countries.
In terms of volume, imports have increased only slightly over the past ten years (from 2.7 million metric tons in 2015), but in terms of value, they have risen significantly (from EUR8.6 billion), the report states.
Last year, the main coffee suppliers were Brazil (1.005 million metric tons, or 34% of the total volume) and Vietnam (587,500 metric tons, or 20%). EU countries also purchased coffee from Uganda (262,400 metric tons, 9%), Colombia (162,900 metric tons, 6%), and Honduras (136,500 metric tons, 5%).
Germany accounted for about one-third of imports, purchasing 1.01 million metric tons of coffee (34% of the total volume). Next were Italy (608,000 metric tons, 21%), Spain (281,600 metric tons, 10%), Belgium (269,200 metric tons, 9%), and the Netherlands (216,600 metric tons, 7%).
In 2025, the European Union produced over 2.2 million metric tons of coffee (including coffee substitutes and decaffeinated beverages). This is 12% more than in 2015 (2 million metric tons).
The leading producers were Germany (561,200 metric tons, or 25% of the total volume) and Italy (514,200 metric tons, 23%). They were followed, at a considerable distance, by Spain (211,900 metric tons, 10%), France (146,800 metric tons, 7%), Poland (134,800 metric tons, 6%), Sweden (79,400 metric tons, 4%), and Finland (39,000 metric tons, 2%). Collectively, these seven countries accounted for 77% of production.
Brazil, India and Mexico recorded the world’s highest estimated numbers of deaths from interpersonal violence in 2023, while Russia ranked first in an expanded European sample both in absolute terms and per 100,000 population, reports the Experts Club information and analytical center, citing the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease 2023 study.
According to IHME estimates, around 435,700 people worldwide died from interpersonal violence in 2023, equivalent to roughly 1,200 deaths per day. The global rate was about 5.4 deaths per 100,000 population. However, the figures are modeled mortality estimates and should not automatically be equated with intentional homicides officially recorded by police.
Brazil had the highest estimated absolute number at 52,229 deaths. It was followed by India with 44,288, Mexico with 36,445, the United States with 24,528 and South Africa with 23,066. Nigeria recorded an estimated 18,188 deaths, Russia 16,760, Colombia 15,959, Ethiopia 11,634 and Venezuela 11,583. Brazil, India and Mexico together accounted for approximately 30.5% of the global estimate, while Brazil alone represented about 12%.
The ranking changes considerably when deaths are measured per 100,000 people. Among sovereign states, El Salvador had the highest IHME estimate at 56.3 per 100,000, followed by Haiti at 49.5, Lesotho at 47.1, Venezuela at 45.1 and Eswatini at 43.8. Brazil ranked 18th with 24.6 deaths per 100,000.
Experts Club stressed that IHME estimates for some countries differ substantially from UNODC figures and national police statistics. The data should therefore be interpreted as modeled estimates of mortality from interpersonal violence rather than a straightforward ranking of officially registered crime.
In the expanded European sample used by Experts Club, which also includes Türkiye, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Russia ranked first with 11.3 deaths per 100,000 population and an estimated 16,760 deaths. Ukraine ranked second at 7.4 per 100,000 and approximately 2,894 deaths. Ukraine’s figure does not include deaths caused by the war, as GBD classifies interpersonal violence separately from conflict and terrorism.
