In South America, several leaders have modeled themselves after Brasil's popular ex-President Lula...from Jose "Pepe" Mujica, a former guerrilla elected president of Uruguay in 2009...to Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo in his 2008 election.
The Lula model..."Lulismo"...is a way for left-wing candidates to lessen voters' worries of radicalism.
"Brasil is the lodestar, the reference for a lot of governments as an example of success," said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington.
That's why Ollanta Humala flew to meet former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva just days after winning Peru's presidency...to get some of the Lula mojo.