We've already published one post based on a Variety story (Dan Rather claiming he had no idea who Bari Weiss was), and this editor has another one in the queue. Brazil held an election over the weekend, and liberals are celebrating the defeat of "far-right" presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro as a defeat for President Donald Trump. Coming out on top was incumbent Lula (just Lula).
The people united will never be defeated! Congratulations, President Lula.
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) October 26, 2026
Take note of Democrats celebrating a stolen election by a left wing dictatorship….
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) October 26, 2026
Round 1: 🏆Bolsonaro: 56.1 million votes Lula: 53.9 million votes Round 2: 🏆Lula: 64.1 million votes (+10.2M) Bolsonaro: 59.8 million votes (+3.7M) To give you an idea of how unlikely this is: all the eliminated candidates from round 1 got 9.33M VOTES COMBINED
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) October 26, 2026
Lula's win does buck the trend of conservative candidates winning in Latin America ever since USAID was dismantled. So, why is this relevant to Variety? Variety credits Taylor Swift fans, and the fans of many other American celebrities, for helping hand Trump a defeat in Brazil.
Lula’s Election Win: How Taylor’s Swift’s Advice to Fandom Helped Him to a Historic Victory and Defeat for Trump https://t.co/qW9jhep8Ax
— Variety (@Variety) October 26, 2026
John Hopewell and Rafa Sales Ross report for Variety:
Don’t expect Brazilian filmmakers to return emails on Monday. Many will be sleeping off joyously celebrating. In a historic turnaround election victory, leftist incumbent Lula staged a dramatic run-off comeback victory Sunday, beating far-right Flávio Bolsonaro to secure a fourth term as Brazil’s President. This is the first time in the history of Brazil’s democratic elections that a candidate who has come second in the first-round elections has won the second round.
…
Lula’s turnaround victory marks a huge win for Brazil’s environment, social politics and health services and stops Latin America’s slide to the right as Europe faces that possibility in France and Spain.
Confirmed by Brazil’s electoral authority, with Lula taking 51.79% of the vote, his triumph is also one for fandom as the election was fought on social media before polling booths. In an unprecedented online wave, the day after Lula came second in the first round, fan accounts for major artists such as Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Katseye, Demi Lovato, Harry Styles, Katy Perry and Selena Gomez ignited a movement, offering their massive platforms to amplify the current president’s campaign and help boost their access to young audiences. The quickly spreading movement began with a Billie Eilish fan account, with the singer’s famed brother, musician Finneas, posting a picture making the pro-Lula “L” sign on social media soon after.
Wow, the first time in history for such a dramatic turnaround victory. And note, of course, that Lula is merely "leftist" while Bolsonaro is "far-right."
@Variety That is a real headline. https://t.co/alsAaHFH0l
— Elvis Flintstone (@Galaga_1981) October 26, 2026
@Variety What in the madlibs headline is this
— Bridget Phetasy (@BridgetPhetasy) October 26, 2026
@Variety If you told me that this headline was written with a madlibs form I wouldn’t even ask for proof, I’d just believe you
— Enguerrand VII de Coucy (@ingelramdecoucy) October 26, 2026
@Variety I didn’t know Trump was running in Brazil.
— Buongiorno Principessa (@NoMoLeo2021) October 26, 2026
@Variety Taylor swift is the reason Lula got his buddy on the Supreme Court to extend the voting hours?
— Walton Wisdom 🇺🇸 (@TheWaltonWisdom) October 26, 2026
@Variety Did Taylor advise him to have his court extend voting hours only in areas he had already won to gather more votes.
— Zero Followers- Leif Von Eric Kat (@Liefvonerickat) October 26, 2026
@Variety Did Taylor Swift tell him to rig the election the way he did? Because that would be actual news.
— Jack Bauer after dark 🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@JackBauerAD) October 26, 2026
@Variety Taylor did nothing in USA politics but sure she can influence Brazil elections? Sure lol.
— Bolgovan Progress (@EvilCat699) October 26, 2026
@Variety What the fuck are you guys doing? Stick to movies and TV and shit.
— Moon Walker (@onlymoonwalker) October 26, 2026
@Variety Why is an “Entertainment” “news” site involving itself and commenting on Brazilian elections? CIA orders?
— Godzilla_Mantooth (@ron_burgandy70) October 26, 2026
@Variety As always a rag hollywhiner magazine sides with communism in a stolen election to keep a corrupt regime in power.
— Ward Collins (@etcglco) October 26, 2026
@Variety How pathetic. You're celebrating a socialist dictator's election because you hate Trump. What the fuck is wrong with you?
— Roxie (@Roncg324) October 26, 2026
@Variety so you're saying Taylor Swift inspired mass fraud and cheating to keep a communist dictator in place over someone that was democratically elected? Do you even READ what you guys write?? We cannot HATE the MSM enough
— lakesidecabin42 (@DinoFam42) October 26, 2026
@Variety Imagine writing this headline, let alone this entire article
— Joel Schamber (@JoelSchamber) October 26, 2026
@Variety This is stupid. People following this and believing this is stupid.
— High Wire Circus (@UntaggedPackets) October 26, 2026
@Variety That's a stretch, even for Variety.
— Chris Jones ⚡️ (@ShootingWeather) October 26, 2026
Variety is getting destroyed in the comments by Lula fans who claim that 1) it was the Brazilian youth who were responsible for his remarkable turnaround win or 2) Billie Eilish fans complaining that she started the pro-Lula movement, not Swift. It's idiocy all the way around.
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