The arrival in power of the left in Brazil was not reflected by clear changes in government policies, which limits the scope of the alternation of parties in power. Political redefinitions by the Brazilian left took place in the context of governance at multiple levels. This is visible in the combination of constraints imposed by Brazil?s insertion into the global economy, the conduct of public administration at the Federal level as well as in the sub-national units, processes of regional integration, and social organizations and their growing role in the mediation of citizens? expectations. Most of the current reforms are of liberal inspiration and offer almost nothing innovative from a political, economic, or social viewpoint. This positioning by the left does not result from a redefinition of its ideology but from the realization that exclusion from international networks and suspicion on the part of powerful countries constitute insurmountable risks. Ultimately, it is the effect of access to and the exercise of power.