Answer
Yes, until Lula's election in 2002, João Goulart was regarded as the most recent leftist president of Brazil. Goulart was a prominent figure in the country's political landscape and embraced left-leaning ideologies, striving for social reforms during his presidency in the early 1960s. However, his administration encountered fierce opposition and faced a coup d'état in 1964, marking a significant shift in the nation's political trajectory.