Lula Presents Electoral Program: Defending Sovereignty, Security, and Equality

The coalition of Brazilian presidential candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has unveiled its electoral program, outlining a platform centered on defending national sovereignty, reducing social inequality, and combating organized crime. The 84-page document, released two months before the elections, details the party's vision for a potential fourth term, building upon what it considers the achievements of Lula's previous administrations.

Internationally, the program signals a firm stance against foreign interference in Brazil's affairs, with a veiled reference to perceived pressures from the United States under Donald Trump. It advocates for deepening geopolitical ties with the BRICS nations and the Global South, alongside strengthening regional integration within Mercosur. The document also stresses the importance of adequate military funding to protect Brazil's resources from external threats and aims to boost the domestic defense industry.

Domestically, the program places significant emphasis on public security, a key concern for voters and a central theme for Lula's main rival, Flávio Bolsonaro. To tackle organized crime, the plan proposes enhanced cooperation across government levels, expanded operational capacity for the Federal Police, and more streamlined procedures for prosecuting criminal factions. Additionally, it reaffirms commitments to combat feminicide, including the creation of new shelters for victims of gender-based violence.

Social policies outlined in the program include measures to reduce inequality through increases in the minimum wage and the Bolsa Família program, a social welfare initiative established by Lula over two decades ago. Environmental goals are also prominent, reiterating the commitment to eliminate deforestation by 2030, establish new indigenous lands and conservation areas, and expand satellite monitoring to detect environmental crimes. Lula, seeking a fourth term at age 80, is set to launch his campaign next Sunday in the São Paulo suburb where he began his career as a union leader during the military dictatorship.