Brazil’s Lula Embraces Selfies in Push to Win Back Voters

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has turned to selfies and social media as he seeks to strengthen his campaign ahead of the October 25 presidential runoff. The 80-year-old president, who does not own a cellphone and has previously mocked what he called the “finger-tapping generation,” recorded and shared his first selfie video on Wednesday. The move comes after Lula finished second behind Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in the first round of Brazil’s presidential election. Bolsonaro received 47.03 per cent of the valid votes, while Lula secured 45.16 per cent, sending the contest into a runoff. Lula’s campaign is now placing greater emphasis on social media, a space where right-wing political figures have traditionally maintained a strong presence. In his first selfie video, Lula joked that his wife, Janja, had repeatedly encouraged him to take one before telling supporters to get out into the streets and speak to voters.

Lula also met with young left-wing influencers who won legislative seats in the first-round elections, seeking their advice on how to strengthen his digital campaign. Among them was 21-year-old Ana Elisa Santos Silva, who was elected as Brazil’s youngest federal deputy and has nearly three million followers. She said she had worked with the president’s communications team to bring Lula onto social media in a way that was comfortable for him, describing the mobile phone as the campaign’s most important leaflet. Lula’s rival, Flávio Bolsonaro, has been using spontaneous selfie videos to communicate directly with supporters for months. The president acknowledged his discomfort with cellphone culture, saying he prefers not to use one because he needs his hands for other things and likes to say only what is essential. With both candidates now preparing for the October 25 runoff, Lula’s campaign is seeking to expand its reach among voters through digital platforms and face-to-face engagement.

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