Brazil’s President Lula announces he will seek a fourth term in 2026

The left-wing person made the announcement connected a travel done Asia, brushing speech concerns astir his precocious age.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has announced helium volition tally for re-election adjacent year, seeking a 4th nonconsecutive term.

Speaking during a authorities sojourn to Indonesia connected Thursday, President Lula said helium remains energised contempt his age.

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“I’m turning 80, but you tin beryllium definite I person the aforesaid vigor I had erstwhile I was 30. And I’m going to tally for a 4th word successful Brazil,” Lula told reporters successful a associated quality league with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

He past turned to Subianto to present a quip: “I’m telling you this due to the fact that we’re inactive going to spot each different galore times.”

Brazil’s constitution allows presidents to service lone 2 consecutive terms. Lula, who served 2 presumption successful 2003-2010, returned to bureau successful 2023 aft 13 years retired of powerfulness and frankincense remains eligible to tally again.

The Brazilian person is presently connected a diplomatic travel crossed Asia. After his sojourn to Indonesia, Lula volition caput to Malaysia to be the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

While successful Malaysia, Lula is expected to conscionable connected Sunday with United States President Donald Trump, their archetypal in-person brushwood pursuing a conciliatory telephone telephone earlier this month, Brazilian media has reported.

The 2 leaders have clashed implicit the prosecution of erstwhile far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro — an state of Trump — and planetary trade.

Trump and Lula are expected to sermon the 50-percent commercialized tariff that Trump imposed connected Brazil successful August, successful protestation against the Bolsonaro prosecution.

Lula had antecedently said his 2022 statesmanlike bid would beryllium his last campaign, some due to the fact that of his property and due to the fact that helium believed the state needed governmental renewal. That predetermination saw him narrowly decision Bolsonaro successful a run-off.

But aboriginal successful his existent word — his 3rd — Lula began hinting that helium mightiness tally again.

In February 2023, the president said helium could question re-election successful 2026, adding that his determination would beryllium connected the country’s governmental discourse and his health.

A ascendant fig connected Brazil’s left, Lula is the country’s longest-serving president since its instrumentality to democracy 40 years ago.

Some Brazilian politicians person expressed interest astir Lula’s property and caller wellness issues. He underwent exigency country to dainty a encephalon bleed precocious past twelvemonth aft a autumn successful the bathroom. Still, Lula often insists helium remains steadfast and energetic, often sharing workout videos connected societal media.

Lula presently leads each polls for the 2026 election, though astir fractional of voters accidental they disapprove of him. Trump’s tariffs reenergised the Brazilian person and pushed his popularity up.

His main governmental rival, Bolsonaro, has been barred from moving for bureau and was sentenced successful September to 27 years successful situation for attempting a coup.

While nary beardown absorption campaigner has yet emerged, analysts accidental a viable contender is apt to beryllium connected Bolsonaro’s backing arsenic helium serves his condemnation nether location arrest.