Lula government spends more than double Bolsonaro's election-eve propaganda budget

The administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has significantly boosted propaganda expenditures in the first half of 2026. The government allocated R$520 million for publicity, more than double the amount spent by the previous Jair Bolsonaro administration during the same period in 2022.

This increase in spending comes at a critical juncture, just before the official start of the campaign for the president's re-election. The decision to ramp up government publicity efforts has drawn attention as it precedes a period of intense political campaigning.

In 2022, the Bolsonaro government spent less than half of what the current administration has allocated for propaganda in the equivalent period this year. The figures highlight a substantial shift in government communication strategies and resource allocation ahead of the upcoming electoral contest.