Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva vs Walid Muallem

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was elected president of Brazil in 2002 as the candidate of the Workers' Party (PT). He assumed office on January 1, 2003, becoming the first left-wing president in Brazil's modern democratic history.

Lula launched the Bolsa Fam

Lula was re-elected president in 2006, winning in the second round against Geraldo Alckmin. His second term continued social programs and economic growth, with Brazil experiencing a commodity boom.

During Lula's presidency, Petrobras discovered massive oil reserves in the pre-salt layer off the coast of Brazil in 2006. These discoveries transformed Brazil into a major oil exporter and boosted the economy.

Lula was convicted of corruption and money laundering in 2017 and 2018 as part of the Lava Jato (Car Wash) investigation. He was imprisoned in April 2018, serving 580 days before his conviction was annulled in 2021.

Lula was elected president for a third term in 2022, defeating incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. He assumed office on January 1, 2023, returning to power after his previous convictions were annulled.

Walid Muallem was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Syria on February 11, 2006, replacing Farouk al-Sharaa. He served in this role until his death in 2020, making him one of the longest-serving foreign ministers in the region. He was a key figure in Syrian diplomacy, particularly regarding Lebanon and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Muallem served as the chief diplomat for the Syrian government throughout the Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011. He defended the Assad regime's actions at the United Nations and in international forums, denying allegations of war crimes and chemical weapons use. He was sanctioned by the US and EU for his role.

In September 2013, following a chemical weapons attack in Ghouta, Muallem played a key role in negotiating Syria's accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention. The agreement, brokered with Russia and the US, led to the destruction of Syria's declared chemical weapons stockpile, though allegations of continued use persisted.