Lula grabs his first smartphone to court Brazil's digital-savvy voters
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva obtained his first mobile phone, signaling a push to connect with Brazil’s online electorate before the runoff.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, days before turning 81, took ownership of his first smartphone, describing himself as becoming “the king of selfies” and a genuine internet user at a Brasilia rally. The move is aimed at bolstering his digital outreach ahead of Sunday’s presidential runoff, where he faces right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Younger candidates such as Nikolas Ferreira, Lucas Pavanato, Erika Hilton and 21-year-old Ana Elisa Silva have already leveraged TikTok, Instagram and WhatsApp to secure millions of votes, underscoring a shift toward “influencer politicians.”
Lula has enlisted Ana Elisa Silva, a Minas Gerais law student, to guide his social-media strategy after a weaker first-round performance. Maximo Zaldivar of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems notes that personal followings on social platforms now constitute significant political capital. Lula’s adoption of a smartphone reflects the pressure on established politicians to adapt to a generation that primarily consumes news online.
Why it matters
Lula’s new phone highlights how Brazil’s election race is being reshaped by digital outreach and influencer politics.
How this story developed
- Oct 4 Portugal sees alcohol dependence surge while Brazil heads to tightly contested election
- Oct 10 President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s campaign says Meta restricted his content on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp as the presidential runoff approaches.
- Oct 13 Senator Flavio Bolsonaro announced he will vote for a constitutional amendment that cuts Brazil’s standard workweek from 44 to 40 hours, reversing his party’s previous opposition.
- Oct 16 Senate ratified the constitutional amendment following Senator Flavio Bolsonaro’s earlier announcement of support.
- Oct 16 A new Datafolha poll released Thursday shows Bolsonaro maintaining a narrow lead over Lula within the margin of error.
- Oct 19 The first televised debate between the two candidates was held a week before the runoff.
- Oct 20 Lula’s closing remarks were interrupted when the moderator announced he had run out of time.
- Oct 20 The court increased the daily penalty on Meta.
- Oct 22 Meta was ordered to demonstrate compliance with equal‑treatment rules within 24 hours.
- Oct 23 Most recent polls place Senator Flávio Bolsonaro ahead of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as Brazil prepares for the October 25 runoff.
- Oct 24 Justice André Mendonça ruled that each candidate may obtain the other’s financial, tax and phone records.
- Oct 25 A Datafolha poll released on October 22 gave Flávio Bolsonaro 47% and Lula 46%, a one‑point margin.
- Oct 25 Voters went to the polls on Sunday for the runoff.
- Oct 25 Voting opened across Brazil on Sunday.
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