Brazil’s Lula launches historic fourth term bid – but son of jailed Bolsonaro stands in his way

Brazil's incumbent left-wing president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has officially launched his campaign for an unprecedented fourth term in office. Addressing a large gathering of supporters in São Bernardo do Campo, the industrial city where his political journey began nearly five decades ago, the 80-year-old leader vowed to resist the return of the "shameless" right to power.

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as long as he lived he would not allow the “shameless” right to return to power.

Lula's primary opponent in the October presidential election will be Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. The election is expected to be a closely contested race, pitting Lula's progressive agenda against Bolsonaro's conservative platform. Lula frequently reminds voters of the perceived chaos and violence that characterized Bolsonaro's 2018-2022 presidency.

During his campaign launch, Lula recalled the significant loss of life during the COVID-19 pandemic, an outbreak he contends was mishandled by Jair Bolsonaro's administration due to its "anti-science" policies. He also pointed to the relaxation of gun laws under Bolsonaro, which he claims led to an increase in criminal group arsenals, citing the distribution of "more than a million weapons." Lula pledged that a fourth term would prioritize enhancements in education and healthcare, alongside the development of Brazil's substantial rare earth deposits, which are the second largest globally after China's.

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They handed out … more than a million weapons.

Lula also outlined plans to improve public security by targeting high-level organized crime figures who reside in luxury accommodations, contrasting this with efforts to apprehend criminals in poorer neighborhoods. He urged his far-right rivals to "show some shame."

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It’s easy to kill a crook in a favela. But the guy running the show lives in a penthouse … and we need to stop this.

Lula's political career began in 1979 as a union leader, spearheading major strikes that contributed to the end of the military dictatorship. After three previous attempts, he first won the presidency in 2002, becoming Brazil's first working-class president. His initial two terms (2002-2010) were marked by efforts to combat hunger, expand social welfare programs, and improve access to higher education, though his administration faced corruption scandals. His successor, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached amid a severe economic recession. Lula himself was imprisoned for alleged corruption in 2018, spending 580 days in jail before his conviction was overturned by the supreme court. His imprisonment paved the way for Bolsonaro's victory in 2018, leading to a presidency marked by environmental degradation and international isolation. Lula secured his third term in 2022 by a narrow margin, vowing to rescue Brazil from "one of the worst periods in Brazilian history."

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show some shame