Brazil’s Lula, 80, says ‘in great shape’ as he launches fourth term bid
SAO PAULO: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 80, said Sunday he was “in great shape” as he launched his candidacy for October elections, with pressure from US President Donald Trump’s administration looming over the campaign.
A titan of the Latin American left, Lula is seeking a fourth and final term in office in a campaign casting him as a safe pair of hands in turbulent times and a bulwark against the global rise of the far right.
While no one mentioned Trump by name at the Workers’ Party (PT) convention in Sao Paulo, Lula and fellow leftist heavyweights leaned heavily on the theme of protecting Brazil’s sovereignty from outside threats, amid trade and diplomatic spats with Washington.
“I want to be prepared so that no one invades this country,” Lula said, urging greater investment in defense.
The former metalworker and union leader made a dramatic comeback when he returned to power three years ago after a stint in jail on corruption convictions that were later annulled, having previously governed from 2003-2010.
He is loved and despised in near-equal measure in Brazil and won his last election by a razor-thin margin.
Supporters point to social programs that have lifted millions out of poverty while critics — noting that the PT has been in power for around 17 of the past 24 years — highlight enduring problems such as crime and corruption.
“I’m here today because Lula’s policies changed my life and my family’s. Thanks to him, we own our own home today,” Cristiane Rosa Julho, a 51-year-old social worker, told AFP.
