Brazil - have you been there?

Yup, Brazil is big.

It's not much like America.

If you seek out some of the weirder concoctions, e.g. pau do Indio [Indian's dick], you can get smashed for next to nothing.

That fuel thing - cars over there run on alcohol, which, as Tracer says, gives the air a really cloying feel.

Street crime is an absolute pain in the arse. I got mugged three times when I was over there, and it does colour your view of what is essentially a wonderful country.

i am even envious of people who have been to the restaurant of the same name on Oxford St

I suspect its quite americanized, in a sense that it would've absorbed US culture through its proximity to it but also its a young country, in a way that the US is. The point abt violence is something that prob repeats itself in other cities that have these very pronounced contrasts such as johannesburg (that's what i get from reading abt it, never been there). Its very obvious what the areas to avoid at all costs are (or the ones where you just drive by and not walk) if you live there long enough but naturally not so if you're a tourist. but this could apply to certain US cities, i dunno...

The soaps are great, btw: they last 9 months each and there's 3 of them broadcast one after the other -1 episode broadcast every working day, lasting an hour each - the beeb wouldn't get away with that...all of them are like a very big movie, and it all ends happily in the end. The concept of growing with a set of characters like you have here was a bit alien to me at first. also, unlike the US, many of these actors will star in Brazilian movies too.

I guess you might try cachaca , its the drink made from sugar cane (if i'm not wrong, its sold in europe as caiprinha, I'm sure you know but its my only drink related bit of knowledge you see!).

this should be some music stuff here...I think david tudor and john cage played a show in the late 60s and its prob the inspiration for tudor's 'rainforest' piece. not sure abt nam june paik tho'.

Violence: being mugged is a terrible downer, but it's not as bad as being beaten up, which is always a possibility on a drunken Friday night in England. I was mugged over there 3 times, as I said above, but was never harmed. The muggers want your watch and that's it.

But that really is the only downer of living in Brazil.

On the positive side, there's music, football, beaches, climate, lively / lovely people etc etc

The soaps are indeed extraordinary. I heard a stat when i was over there that the highest ever TV audience figure was for the final episode of a soap and not for a football match, which I find incredible.

Waxyjax, I'd say give yourself time in SP and Rio and don't spread yourself too thin. Foz do Iguacu is a fair distance from SP and Rio. An alternative would be a tour of the Northeast, including Salvador and Recife, which are sizzlingly exciting.

The airlines all do airpasses - flat fee for five internal flights - which works out incredibly cheap given the distances involved.

Brazil didn't feel it was too Americanised to me. It's a fascinating culture, half Western, half something else altogether. Food and beer are dirt cheap. All in all, my experiences of Brazil have been nothing less than fantastic.

Well, I am next month. What should I do? Where should I go? I've got about 10 days and am thinking about just slowly taking in Rio, but if there's one day (or two day) trip I should make, what should it be?

when i was eleven i thought it was awesome, it could possibly be a bit "touristy" but i don't know because i didn't notice things like that at that age, i just remember the waves being the biggest i'd ever seen, and green lush little inlets and etc

http://www.welcomeargentina.com/paseos/cataratas_iguazu/4.jpg

I'll be back by 4/15.

Not always. My uncle's colleague was robbed then beaten severely. Right on Ipanema Beach.

Spencer, make sure you try Acai but served really cold with crushed ice and granola. You'll need it to keep you going all day and all night.

I recommend a juice bar (you find them on evry corner) called Baby Lanches, but I can't remember the exact address. Its like 3 minutes from the beachfront and on a road off Rua Domingos Ferreira which is in Copacabana.

have fun, spencer!!!!

a 20 minutes walk is not far!

www.discoteca-help.com

note: i haven't actually been there or to even rio myself, but i hear it's way on the mark if you wanna like bargain and pick up a mulatta cutie for under 60 euros. why the f do i know this?

is what i meant to say

Brazilian ⁠Supreme Court justice Cristiano Zanin ⁠has just ordered ⁠voting ​in the country’s presidential runoff ⁠on Sunday to be ⁠extended by ​two ‌hours, granting a ‌request from ‌president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s campaign.

Polls were initially set ‌to close at 5pm ​Brasilia time. Lula’s campaign ⁠alleged that authorities ​in several cities ​were ​restricting voter ​access ‌to ​public ​transportation.

The decision follows allegations of attempted voter suppression in at least 10 states, where public transport appears to have been severely limited in what some suspect was a deliberate ploy to stop Lula voters reaching polling stations.

Earlier, Lula told reporters he had never before complained about elections he had been involved in, irrespective of whether he had won or lost. “But this time something abominable is happening.”

However, some polling stations may have already closed since the decision came so shortly after they were due to close. People should now be able to vote until 7pm.

Could be quite a volatile situation brewing.

Interesting R2 results so far, seems like a swing towards Lula.

Following this thread - https://bsky.app/profile/taniel.bsky.social/post/3myqar5t2as26

Yes, some positive forecasting https://bsky.app/profile/andreinetto.bsky.social/post/3myqdgxxnz225

Bolsonaro congressional ally Nikolas Ferreira:

“Either we win. Or we win. You’ve been warned.”

Lula is ahead with just over half of the count.

But there will be legal challenges. Maybe more, who knows

This is crazy.

If Lula does this it's the most remarkable turnaround from the greatest politician in contemporary Brazilian history. Astounding.

And maybe the biggest protagonist was not Lula, but digital berzerker André Janones, who got SEVEN PERCENT of the electorate in one whatsapp group

— Alex Hochuli 🧉🎙️🤯📉 (@Alex__1789) October 25, 2026

51% Lula and 48.9% Bolsonaro with nearly 75% of votes counted.

Incredible how fast the votes are counted

It's fucking happening I am screaming in my bedroom I can't believe it

Daniel:

Lula has been reelected president, Brazilian media has now called.

An extraordinary comeback for the left-wing politician who trailed by 2 points in round 1 but managed to hold off Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president's son.

^ Taniel@bsky..

Holy shit!

lula comeback kid good stuff

Lol apparently people are chanting anti-Neymar songs In the streets of Rio looool

Confirmed.

Brazil’s electoral court has just announced that leftist president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro and was elected president of Brazil for a fourth non-consecutive term.

Lula is the first candidate in Brazil’s democratic history to overturn a first-round defeat in a runoff

All right the hard work of resisting the Bolsonarista senate and compromising with the centrist parties starts tomorrow, but this victory is fucking epic and must be savoured.

Genuinely a victory for Latin America, and indeed the whole planet. The voters decided to resist US imperialism and CIA-sponsored fascism and did so RESOUNDINGLY. Not even close in the end.

Did Neymar come out for the failson or the father? xps

I'm astounded and delirous.

Astonishing stuff (Serbia too).

I believe both gyac!

Hope there's no attempted coup.

I am worried about it

this is incredible

Wow! Amazing news.

Get this little bitch out there

More than half an hour has passed since the result was announced and there is still no sign of far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro in the area where dozens of journalists are waiting at the Brasília mansion where he followed the count.

During the evening, smoke could be seen and the smell of a lively barbecue filled the air, but it ended with guests leaving looking dejected. One of them approached the press to shout that “it was the fucking north-east’s fault”, insulting the region where Lula has historically won most of his votes.

Four years ago, when Jair Bolsonaro lost to Lula, supporters of the former president also directed prejudice at people from the region.

Bolsonaro’s press officer had said earlier that he would address the nation after the count, but since Lula’s victory was announced his team has gone silent and journalists do not know when, or whether, it will happen.

hes probably too busy crying

xp tinyviolin.jpg

this is so great

A huge relief, I was bracing for the worst. Just yesterday I caught a video from (I think) the New York Times where they interviewed local supporters of Bolsonaro and they were all reactionary evangelicals spewing moronic shit like "you can't be left and a Christian" with one pastor bluntly denouncing the LGBT community across the board. It was revolting to think these brain dead bigots were going to hand the country back to a corrupt, morally bankrupt dictator. Hoping for better days to come.

fun fact no “concession” is necessary

Awesome. Little Bolsonaro claiming the result should be annulled because of the two hour extension to the voting hours - but apparently members of his own party were among those who called for the extension.

Yeah, that appeal shouldn't go anywhere.

However..

good morning!!!!!!!! being at home (for family reasons) to watch this loser lose and go in the streets and party: priceless

rn playing my national anthem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RrDAI7tFzU

Lula:

"We had to overcome foreign interference through digital platforms, which we will have to regulate. A crime in the digital world must be treated the same as a crime in the real world.

We cannot have monstrous companies earning millions... not paying taxes... wanting to steer elections."

"Almost all of Brazil moved toward Lula"

https://atlasdevelopment.substack.com/p/brazils-first-comeback

good morning!!!!!!!! being at home (for family reasons) to watch this loser lose and go in the streets and party: priceless

― fpsa, Monday, October 26, 2026 7:46 AM (twenty-six minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

hell yeah get em

https://www.instagram.com/p/De8MNzkJQ5n/ some scenes from last night from kleber mendonça filho <3 (this is a small square where usually ppl would go to celebrate these, was there earlier)

thats awesome

crazy, Bluesky made it seem like a Lula victory was basically impossible after the first round. refreshing to see the good guys actually win for once.

pretty crazy to run it back two weeks later and get a different result

I mean, it was definitely an uphill climb! Bolsonaro won the first round with 2%, with about 8% going to other candidates. So both Lula and Bolsonaro would gain in the second round, but Lula would need to gain by much more. And he did: he picked up almost 7%, Bolsonaro only 1%.

A Lula win was highly improbable due to history so commentary, whether bsky or elsewhere, could only reflect this.

But in Brazil they kept fighting and mobilising on the ground and Lula has had an appeal that is above his party.

A good thread on why embracing transphobia (Lula did the opposite as you'll see) is a political loser: https://bsky.app/profile/brunodias.dev/post/3myqzrmtrhc2y

I think the results of the first round can be explained by 1) Anti-PT sentiment 2)complacency about Lula's win 3) ignorance or lack of understanding about what Flavio's win would mean. The federal deputy André Janones created this huge whatsapp group in order to strategise about how to do this, so you had everyone in this group going out and giving a political education to their friends and families, even strangers. Once urban voters realised that Flavio as president would mean the destruction of Pix, phasing out Bolsa familia (social security), reversing the recent legislation on work schedules, people weren't so keen to vote for him. 4) "and your dad!".

the whatsapp group is such a good detail, just get 10% of the country in a group chat, beautiful

The Bolsonaro campaign made several unintended errors. Apparently they made fun of Lula's missing a finger; Lula retorted that at least he lost a pinkie working for a living, not being a lazy nepo baby like Flavio. Lula also took them aback when he opened his and his family's books and Flavio never did.

yeah the finger speech was so good

def worth watching the video of that

we should get some politicians who have had jobs before

yep. hell I'll take Serbia's slightly worrisome experiment with letting the professoriat run the country over the status quo in US/Canada

I saw an exhibit in a “democracy in art” thing in Belgium the other day and this convo and that reminded me to google if Mamdani ever had a real job

2015–2019: Political involvement
Mamdani entered New York City politics as a volunteer for Ali Najmi's campaign in the 2015 special election for the 23rd district of the City Council. Mamdani was inspired to join Najmi's campaign after learning that he was supported by Heems, a New York rapper of Indian descent and co-founder of alternative hip-hop group Das Racist. Specifically, Mamdani attributes his involvement in local politics to a 2015 The Village Voice article about Najmi and Heems, whom he described as one of his favorite rappers.

Incredible Wikipedia detail i never knew

(Hannah Spencer was the other politician and she quite famously trained as a plumber and plasterer)

im at the combination indie rap show and city hall

I'll take Serbia's slightly worrisome experiment with letting the professoriat run the country

― rob, Monday, October 26, 2026 2:09 PM (fourteen minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

honestly a hilarious idea can you even imagine