Brazil election campaign launches with contrasting rallies for Lula and Bolsonaro's son

Brazil's presidential election campaign kicked off Sunday with two starkly different rallies. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, seeking a third term, held a large, show-like event in São Bernardo do Campo, aiming to reconnect with his working-class base. He presented himself as a man of the people, drawing parallels between his humble origins and the struggles of young voters.

Lula's 35-minute speech invoked his past as a union leader, his time in prison, and his early life, emphasizing that he was not a candidate of the establishment. He promised to create a Ministry of Public Security, expand integral education, and invest in industry and rare earth exploration.

Meanwhile, Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, held a smaller rally on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach. His father's presence loomed large, with recorded speeches and Flávio's appeals to his father's supporters. Flávio Bolsonaro promised to lift Brazil out of economic hardship, end corruption, and create jobs for young people, while criticizing the current government's foreign policy.