Brazilian president announces 2026 re-election bid

On October 23, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared his intention to run for a new presidential term in 2026, Revista Forum reports.

“I will run for a fourth term in Brazil. I am telling you this because we will meet many more times,” Lula said.

He made the statement during a press conference with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. According to the Brazilian leader, despite approaching his 80th birthday, he is full of energy, just as he was at 30. He also expressed his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between Brazil and Indonesia.

Lula's decision, confirmed amid polls showing him leading potential rivals like São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas by 10–15 points, positions him as the frontrunner for the October 2026 vote, where he would face a fragmented opposition including former President Jair Bolsonaro's ineligible allies and centrist figures. The bid, teased since February 2023, aligns with Lula's legacy of social welfare programs like Bolsa Família, which lifted 36 million from poverty in his first tenure, though critics cite economic challenges and corruption scandals from his past administrations.

By Khagan Isayev