Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva officially launched his campaign for a fourth presidential term on August 2, 2026, at the Workers’ Party (PT) national convention in Sao Paulo [1, 2]. Lula, age 80, said he is in excellent physical condition and maintains a regular exercise routine. He declared, "我要与岁月抗争，不想变得老态龙钟," expressing his determination to fight aging [1].
Lula has previously served as president from 2003 to 2010 and returned to office in 2023. He is running again with his vice president, Geraldo Alckmin from the Social Party, as his running mate [1, 2]. The first round of Brazil’s presidential election is scheduled for October 4, 2026. A runoff will be held on October 26 if no candidate wins outright in the first round [1].
His campaign emphasizes defending Brazil’s sovereignty amid strained relations with the United States. Lula said, "I want to be ready so that no one will be able to invade our country" and stated, "In Brazil, we do not accept anyone sticking their nose where it does not belong" [1, 2]. The US-Brazil trade relationship has recently been tense, with the US imposing tariffs accusing Brazil of unfair trade practices [2]. Lula also called for increased national defense spending to protect the country’s sovereignty [1].
The election is highly polarized. Lula’s main opponent is Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is allied with former US president Donald Trump [2]. A recent Datafolha poll showed Lula leading with 48% support in a potential second-round runoff against Flavio Bolsonaro’s 43%, though polling margins remain close [2].
The PT formally confirmed Lula as its presidential candidate on August 2 at the party convention in Sao Paulo, marking the official start of his campaign for the October election [1, 2].
