Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has officially launched his campaign for a fourth term in office. He began the campaign at Vila Euclides football stadium, where he first rose to prominence as a union leader in 1979. Lula recalled the tragic loss of lives during the pandemic under Jair Bolsonaro’s leadership and criticized his administration’s handling of public health. He also highlighted increases in gun ownership and criminal activity that followed relaxed firearm laws during Bolsonaro’s time in office. During his speech, Lula promised to fight crime by targeting the wealthy leaders of organized gangs who live in luxury apartments rather than in favelas.
Lula’s first two terms as president were marked by efforts to reduce poverty and expand education access, although his government was later plagued by corruption scandals. In 2018, Lula was imprisoned for alleged corruption but was later acquitted by Brazil’s Supreme Court after serving 580 days behind bars. He won his third term in 2022 against Bolsonaro by a narrow margin and vowed to pull the country out of what he called one of its darkest periods. At his inauguration in January 2023, Lula declared that the worst was behind Brazil.
Meanwhile, Flávio Bolsonaro, one of Jair Bolsonaro’s sons and a senator, launched his own campaign for president, according to The Guardian. His campaign launch took place on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach, a location previously used for large rallies in support of his father. Flávio Bolsonaro, aged 45, is now challenging Lula for the presidency in what could be a highly contested race. In 2025, Flávio Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for his role in a failed bid to seize power after the 2022 election.
Lula’s campaign has also drawn attention to foreign interference in Brazil’s political process, according to a report from Al Jazeera. He emphasized that Brazil’s mineral resources will remain under national control and not be exploited by foreign powers. Lula’s party convention was attended by Argentina’s President Javier Milei, signaling international support for his platform. During the event, Lula also spoke about gender equality and called for men to learn respect from childhood. He addressed ongoing challenges in protecting women, including the slow progress on femicide laws. In 2024, Brazil passed a law that reclassified femicide as a distinct crime punishable by 20 to 40 years in prison.
The presidential election is scheduled for October 4, with both candidates preparing their final campaigns ahead of the vote.
IMAGE: O presidente do Brasil, Lula Larápio Lalau, e o governador do Rio de Janeiro, Sérgio Cabral Filho, à frente do Cristo Redentor.. Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/PR / Wikimedia, taken 2007-06-14, CC BY 3.0 br