Brazil: Lula Wins Reelection as Police Violence Remains a Critical Human Rights Challenge
Author: Felipe Chitic-Luis
November 2, 2026
HRRC congratulates President Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva on his reelection and urges his administration to utilize his federal authority to address the ongoing police violence crisis. HRRC demands the implementation of independent investigation, and reforms that specifically targets the disproportionate killing of Black Brazilians.
![A voter in Brazil [Image credit: Agência Senado/Wikimedia Commons]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f05ed1_42fa64a6bd774f4cb1d259cd98dc7c2b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_960,h_640,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/f05ed1_42fa64a6bd774f4cb1d259cd98dc7c2b~mv2.jpg)
On October 25, 2026, Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva won Brazil’s presidential runoff election, securing 51.79% of votes against Flávio Bolsonaro’s 48.21%, according to the Superior Electoral Court (Tribunal Superior Eleitoral, or TSE). This victory marks Lula’s fourth nonconsecutive presidential term as he previously served from 2003 to 2010 before returning to office in 2023. His reelection comes at a time when calls from human rights organizations asking for stronger government actions against police violence, which remains one of the most critical human rights challenges in the country.
On Sunday October 25, Human Rights Watch released a statement urging Lula to prioritize the protection of human rights in his next term, especially emphasizing the impact of police violence which disproportionately affects Black Brazilians. According to Human Rights Watch's statement, 6,589 people were killed by the police in 2025, and the number increased through September 2026. The organization argues that the excessive use of deadly force actually undermines public safety, and can let abuses go unpunished.
The racial disparities documented in the Pele Alvo’s Report by the Center for Studies on Security and Citizenship (CESeC) further argues that 4,330 deaths resulted from police interventions across nine Brazilian states in 2025. Among the victims whose racial identity was able to be recorded, 86.3% (4,104 people) were Black. Those numbers reinforce the impact of violence towards the Black community in Brazil and the need for reforms that address racial discrimination within public institutions.
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In April 2025, Brazil’s National Council of the Public Prosecutors’s Office (CNMP) adopted Resolution 310, which requires prosecutors to conduct their own investigations into deaths and serious crimes committed by public security agents (such as intentional homicide, torture, sexual violence, and enforced disappearance). However, in May 2026, the CNMP adopted Resolution 3030 , published on May 5, which extended the deadline for implementing Resolution 310 from one year to two years. This extension gives prosecutorial offices additional time to put the guidelines into effective practice. Yet, Human Rights Watch criticized the delay, arguing that postponing their full implementation could weaken efforts to hold security forces accountable for human rights abuses
Although Brazil’s state level governments hold primarily responsibility for managing their own police forces, the federal government has an important role in coordinating national security and promoting reforms. Lula’s reelection presents an important opportunity to strengthen independent investigations, address racial disparities in police violence, and ensure justice for victims and their families.
Glossary
Deadly Force: Deadly Force: Refers to any physical force that creates, or is intended to create, a substantial risk of causing death or serious bodily injury.
Enforced Disappearances: Enforced disappearances occur when persons are deprived of their liberty by state officials, organized groups, or private individuals acting on behalf of, or with the support, direct or indirect, consent, or acquiescence of the government.
Intentional Homicide: Unlawful, deliberate killing of a human being, defined by the perpetrator's mental state and actions at the time of the offense.
Political Violence: Violence that is denounced condemned or prohibited by the laws of states or the laws between states
Torture: Intentional infliction of severe physical or mental pain or suffering by one or more persons—often acting in an official capacity—to extract information, coerce a confession, punish, intimidate, or discriminate
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