Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, popularly known as Lula, became the new president of Brazil after defeating the incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a close-fought election on Monday. The leftist leader won 50.8 per cent of votes while his right-wing opponent finished with 49.2 per cent of all valid votes.

Lula is no stranger to the President’s office as the 77-year-old held the position for two terms from 2003 to 2011. Such was his popularity and approval ratings in Brazil that former United States President Barack Obama once called him “the most popular president on Earth”.

The former factory worker, who was well-known for his work with trade unions, rose to popularity among the leftist movement in the 1980s. It was a direct response to Brazil’s military dictatorship of the period and Lula went on to form the Workers’ party (PT) along with other leftist leaders.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-lula-defeats-bolsonaro-by-a-narrow-vote-to-win-presidential-election-529729" hreflang="en">Brazil: Lula defeats Bolsonaro by a narrow vote to win presidential election</a>

WATCH |&nbsp;Brazil Presidential Polls: Lula da Silva wins elections again at the age of 77 with 50.90% of votes&nbsp;

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While he was quite popular with a majority of the country’s population, Lula failed to win the presidential elections in both 1994 and 1998. The leftist voters kept supporting his campaigns but an opposition from factory owners and big businesses meant that his dream remained unfulfilled.

However, with strategic partnerships with business leaders and a stronger coalition, Lula finally won the elections in 2002. What followed was a golden period for the Brazilian economy with a lucrative trade deal with China and the impact of two major events - 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

However, his two terms as President were not without controversies. While Lula’s approval ratings remained at an all-time high, his government was embroiled in multiple corruption scandals. The accusations continued even when Dilma Rousseff - Lula’s handpicked successor – became president and in 2016, the reigning PT government had to let go of their position amid rising tensions.

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In 2018, Lula was also convicted on corruption charges and was sent to prison along with few politicians from his party. The newly elected president of Brazil spent 580 days in jail before the charges were dropped and he was eligible to compete for the position once again.

Lula went on to challenge Bolsonaro on a pro-development platform and even gained support from the indigenous population of the country who were not happy with the current regime. He also gained support from his existing left-leaning voter case and while Bolsonaro’s pitch of a more traditional Brazil remained popular, it was not enough to stop the re-emergence of Lula.

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Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, popularly known as Lula, became the new president of Brazil after defeating the incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a close-fought election on Monday.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, popularly known as Lula, became the new president of Brazil after defeating the incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a close-fought election on Monday. The leftist leader won 50.8 per cent of votes while his right-wing opponent finished with 49.2 per cent of all valid votes. Lula is no stranger to the President’s office as the 77-year-old held the position for two terms from 2003 to 2011. Such was his popularity and approval ratings in Brazil that former United States President Barack Obama once called him “the most popular president on Earth”. The former factory worker, who was well-known for his work with trade unions, rose to popularity among the leftist movement in the 1980s. It was a direct response to Brazil’s military dictatorship of the period and Lula went on to form the Workers’ party (PT) along with other leftist leaders. Also read | Brazil: Lula defeats Bolsonaro by a narrow vote to win presidential election WATCH | Brazil Presidential Polls: Lula da Silva wins elections again at the age of 77 with 50.90% of votes × While he was quite popular with a majority of the country’s population, Lula failed to win the presidential elections in both 1994 and 1998. The leftist voters kept supporting his campaigns but an opposition from factory owners and big businesses meant that his dream remained unfulfilled. However, with strategic partnerships with business leaders and a stronger coalition, Lula finally won the elections in 2002. What followed was a golden period for the Brazilian economy with a lucrative trade deal with China and the impact of two major events - 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. However, his two terms as President were not without controversies. While Lula’s approval ratings remained at an all-time high, his government was embroiled in multiple corruption scandals. The accusations continued even when Dilma Rousseff - Lula’s handpicked successor – became president and in 2016, the reigning PT government had to let go of their position amid rising tensions. Also read | EU urges Russia to reverse its decision of suspending Ukraine grain deal In 2018, Lula was also convicted on corruption charges and was sent to prison along with few politicians from his party. The newly elected president of Brazil spent 580 days in jail before the charges were dropped and he was eligible to compete for the position once again. Lula went on to challenge Bolsonaro on a pro-development platform and even gained support from the indigenous population of the country who were not happy with the current regime. He also gained support from his existing left-leaning voter case and while Bolsonaro’s pitch of a more traditional Brazil remained popular, it was not enough to stop the re-emergence of Lula.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva: The newly elected president of Brazil with a chequered past

Brazil’s bitterly fought presidential run-off came to the conclusion on Sunday with the victory of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who managed to narrowly defeat incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula, 77, secured 50.90 per cent of votes compared to far-right Bolsonaro's 49.10 per cent, in one of the most polarised election campaigns the country has ever witnessed.

In his victory speech, Lula reached out to supporters and opponents alike, calling for Brazil’s “peace, democracy, and opportunity”, reports AFP news agency.

Watch | Brazil Presidential Polls: Lula da Silva wins elections again at the age of 77 with 50.90% of votes

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He promised to restore the kind of prosperity the country enjoyed when he last served as president from 2003-2010.

Lula then spoke of gender and racial equality and highlighted the urgent need to deal with a hunger crisis affecting 33.1 million Brazilians.

"The wheel of the economy will turn again," he assured.

The 77-year-old Leftist leader called for unity in a “divided nation”, saying, “It is in no one's interest to live in a divided nation in a permanent state of war”.

He assured to serve all 215 million Brazilians and “not only those who voted for “him.

"This country needs peace and unity. This population doesn't want to fight anymore," he was quoted as saying.

Da Silva vowed to take Brazil to its rightful place on the global stage, saying, “Today, we tell the world that Brazil is back. It is too big to be banished to this sad role of global pariah."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-the-newly-elected-president-of-brazil-with-a-chequered-past-529734">Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva: The new president of Brazil with a chequered past</a>

However, in the midst of his spectacular electoral glory, Da Silva informed that he was yet to receive a congratulatory message from his rival Bolsonaro.

“So far, Bolsonaro has not called me to recognize my victory, and I don't know if he will call or if he will recognize my victory," Lula told tens of thousands of jubilant supporters.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/2018-gave-brazil-a-far-right-president-jair-bolsonaro-185048" hreflang="en">Bolsonaro becomes first sitting president in Brazil to lose&nbsp;re-election&nbsp;bid</a>

Experts fear that Bolsonaro may refuse to accept defeat, similar to what happened in the US where Donal Trump called the election results a fraud.

Reuters news agency, quoting a source from Bolsonaro's campaign, reported that the incumbent leader would wait until Monday to make an official statement on the election results.

Last year, the right-wing leader discussed refusing to accept the results of the vote, making baseless claims that Brazil's electronic voting system was vulnerable to fraud.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Brazil’s bitterly fought presidential run-off came to the conclusion on Sunday with the victory of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who managed to narrowly defeat incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazil’s bitterly fought presidential run-off came to the conclusion on Sunday with the victory of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who managed to narrowly defeat incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. Lula, 77, secured 50.90 per cent of votes compared to far-right Bolsonaro's 49.10 per cent, in one of the most polarised election campaigns the country has ever witnessed. In his victory speech, Lula reached out to supporters and opponents alike, calling for Brazil’s “peace, democracy, and opportunity”, reports AFP news agency. Watch | Brazil Presidential Polls: Lula da Silva wins elections again at the age of 77 with 50.90% of votes × He promised to restore the kind of prosperity the country enjoyed when he last served as president from 2003-2010. Lula then spoke of gender and racial equality and highlighted the urgent need to deal with a hunger crisis affecting 33.1 million Brazilians. "The wheel of the economy will turn again," he assured. The 77-year-old Leftist leader called for unity in a “divided nation”, saying, “It is in no one's interest to live in a divided nation in a permanent state of war”. He assured to serve all 215 million Brazilians and “not only those who voted for “him. "This country needs peace and unity. This population doesn't want to fight anymore," he was quoted as saying. Da Silva vowed to take Brazil to its rightful place on the global stage, saying, “Today, we tell the world that Brazil is back. It is too big to be banished to this sad role of global pariah." Also read | Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva: The new president of Brazil with a chequered past However, in the midst of his spectacular electoral glory, Da Silva informed that he was yet to receive a congratulatory message from his rival Bolsonaro. “So far, Bolsonaro has not called me to recognize my victory, and I don't know if he will call or if he will recognize my victory," Lula told tens of thousands of jubilant supporters. Also read | Bolsonaro becomes first sitting president in Brazil to lose re-election bid Experts fear that Bolsonaro may refuse to accept defeat, similar to what happened in the US where Donal Trump called the election results a fraud. Reuters news agency, quoting a source from Bolsonaro's campaign, reported that the incumbent leader would wait until Monday to make an official statement on the election results. Last year, the right-wing leader discussed refusing to accept the results of the vote, making baseless claims that Brazil's electronic voting system was vulnerable to fraud. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Brazil prez polls: No signs of Bolsonaro conceding defeat as Lula celebrates spectacular win

As Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won the presidential election in Brazil on Sunday, Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio took to social media to congratulate him. 
 
DiCaprio, who is known to be a committed environmentalist, had been following the presidential elections keenly which had incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and former president, Lula, as the key campaign issue has been the future of the Amazon rainforest.&nbsp;

Earlier under Lula's regime, deforestation of the Amazon fell markedly from a peak in the 1990s, In Bolsonaro's regime, the forest saw logging and development of the area which was criticised by many environmentalists as Amazon is considered 'lungs of the earth."

On Sunday, DiCaprio tweeted, “The outcome of the Brazilian election presents an opportunity to change the course of history, not just for Brazil &amp; the Amazon, but for the world.”

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The outcome of the Brazilian election presents an opportunity to change the course of history, not just for Brazil &amp; the Amazon, but for the world. 
(📷: João Paulo Krajewski) <a href="https://t.co/twRASHWg2G">pic.twitter.com/twRASHWg2G</a>
— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeoDiCaprio/status/1586861071624814593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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There have several actors who have publicly supported Lula in this presidential election as many of them have shown concerns on deforestation in Brazil. Brazil has been playing a central role in the fight against the climate crisis and several celebrities have been actively involved in creating awareness around climate change.&nbsp; 
 
The likes of Jason Momoa, Mark Ruffalo, Mark Hamill and Barbara Streisand have tweeted in support of Lula’s candidature.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

As Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won the presidential election in Brazil on Sunday, Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio took to social media to congratulate him. DiCaprio, who is known to be a committed environmentalist, had been following the presidential elections keenly which had incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and former president, Lula, as the key campaign issue has been the future of the Amazon rainforest.

As Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won the presidential election in Brazil on Sunday, Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio took to social media to congratulate him. DiCaprio, who is known to be a committed environmentalist, had been following the presidential elections keenly which had incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and former president, Lula, as the key campaign issue has been the future of the Amazon rainforest. Earlier under Lula's regime, deforestation of the Amazon fell markedly from a peak in the 1990s, In Bolsonaro's regime, the forest saw logging and development of the area which was criticised by many environmentalists as Amazon is considered 'lungs of the earth." On Sunday, DiCaprio tweeted, “The outcome of the Brazilian election presents an opportunity to change the course of history, not just for Brazil & the Amazon, but for the world.” The outcome of the Brazilian election presents an opportunity to change the course of history, not just for Brazil & the Amazon, but for the world. (📷: João Paulo Krajewski) pic.twitter.com/twRASHWg2G — Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) October 30, 2022 × There have several actors who have publicly supported Lula in this presidential election as many of them have shown concerns on deforestation in Brazil. Brazil has been playing a central role in the fight against the climate crisis and several celebrities have been actively involved in creating awareness around climate change. The likes of Jason Momoa, Mark Ruffalo, Mark Hamill and Barbara Streisand have tweeted in support of Lula’s candidature.

Leonardo DiCaprio extends his wishes as Lula wins the presidential elections in Brazil

Brazil is all set to witness voting on Sunday for presidential elections. The country is witnessing a fierce fight between the incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro and his opponent Lula Da Silva. Polls have suggested that Lula Da Silva is ahead of Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazil Presidential Elections| Bolsonaro, Lula trade blows in final debate

Brazil's incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro and his leftist opponent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva cast their votes on Sunday (October 30) in last round of election which will decide who will be the country's next president. The tense election has left Brazil's electorate polarised.

Bolsonaro's presidency witnessed the deadly Covid-19 pandemic and massive deforestration in the Amazon basin. Bolsonaro has vowed to consolidate a sharp rightward turn in Brazilian politics

Lula promises more social and environmental responsibility, evoking the rising prosperity of his 2003-2010 presidency, before corruption scandals tarnished his Workers Party.

About 120 million voters are expected to have punched their choices into electronic voting machines. Bolsonaro has criticised these machine as being fraud-prone. He hasn't presented evidence. His allegations have given rise to concerns that he may not concede defeat even if it is declared. If this happens, Bolsonaro will following the example of his ideological ally, former US President Donald Trump.

That has added to tensions in Brazil's most polarizing election since its return democracy in 1985 after a military dictatorship that Lula, a former union leader, rallied against and Bolsonaro, a former army captain, invokes with nostalgia.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Brazil's incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro and his leftist opponent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva cast their votes on Sunday (October 30) in last round of election which will decide who will be the country's next president.

Brazil's incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro and his leftist opponent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva cast their votes on Sunday (October 30) in last round of election which will decide who will be the country's next president. The tense election has left Brazil's electorate polarised. Bolsonaro's presidency witnessed the deadly Covid-19 pandemic and massive deforestration in the Amazon basin. Bolsonaro has vowed to consolidate a sharp rightward turn in Brazilian politics Lula promises more social and environmental responsibility, evoking the rising prosperity of his 2003-2010 presidency, before corruption scandals tarnished his Workers Party. About 120 million voters are expected to have punched their choices into electronic voting machines. Bolsonaro has criticised these machine as being fraud-prone. He hasn't presented evidence. His allegations have given rise to concerns that he may not concede defeat even if it is declared. If this happens, Bolsonaro will following the example of his ideological ally, former US President Donald Trump. That has added to tensions in Brazil's most polarizing election since its return democracy in 1985 after a military dictatorship that Lula, a former union leader, rallied against and Bolsonaro, a former army captain, invokes with nostalgia. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Brazil: Bolsonaro and Lula cast votes in final round of election

'Aquaman' star Jason Momoa has become the latest Hollywood celebrity to throw his support behind Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil's knife-edge election, joining Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and 'Star Wars'&nbsp;actor Mark Hamill.

Lula, Brazil's leftist former president, is facing off against far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, whose policies have been blamed for rampant destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

Momoa, 43, took to Instagram on Monday, posting hearts over a news headline showing Lula's lead widening over Bolsonaro as the pair head into Sunday's all-important run-off.

Fellow superhero actor Mark Ruffalo, who stars as the Hulk in Marvel's 'Avengers'&nbsp;franchise, last month released a video endorsing Lula.

He urged Brazilians to think of the "global implication to your election" with regards to the Amazon rainforest and its role in helping fight climate change.

"What happens to the rainforest and Indigenous people that are there will impact the rest of the world for millennia to come," said Ruffalo.

He added: "Right now, the leader that's best positioned to protect the rainforest is Lula."

With just days to go until the October 30 vote, the two bitter rivals are scrambling to win over undecided voters in a historically tight race.

Lula has 52 percent of the vote heading into the runoff, to 48 percent for Bolsonaro, according to a recent poll.

Momoa is the latest celebrity to come out against Bolsonaro, whose tenure has been marked by increased deforestation, more logging and the supplanting of Indigenous people in the Amazon.

Ahead of the first round of elections, Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill tweeted "The future is YOURS, Brasil", along with a caricature of the former president captioned "Lula Skywalker".

Leonardo DiCaprio, who has a long track record of environmentalism, has encouraged Brazilians to vote, citing the importance of the Amazon.

Bolsonaro is seeking a second term after a four-year mandate in which he was excoriated for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his controversial statements on women, the press, minorities, and perceived enemies such as the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Lula, Brazil's president from 2003 to 2010, is seeking a comeback after spending more than a year in jail on controversial, since-overturned charges stemming from the investigation of a massive graft scheme centered on state-run oil company Petrobras.

'Aquaman' star Jason Momoa has become the latest Hollywood celebrity to throw his support behind Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil's knife-edge election, joining Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and 'Star Wars' actor Mark Hamill.

'Aquaman' star Jason Momoa has become the latest Hollywood celebrity to throw his support behind Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil's knife-edge election, joining Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and 'Star Wars' actor Mark Hamill. Lula, Brazil's leftist former president, is facing off against far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, whose policies have been blamed for rampant destruction of the Amazon rainforest. Momoa, 43, took to Instagram on Monday, posting hearts over a news headline showing Lula's lead widening over Bolsonaro as the pair head into Sunday's all-important run-off. Fellow superhero actor Mark Ruffalo, who stars as the Hulk in Marvel's 'Avengers' franchise, last month released a video endorsing Lula. He urged Brazilians to think of the "global implication to your election" with regards to the Amazon rainforest and its role in helping fight climate change. "What happens to the rainforest and Indigenous people that are there will impact the rest of the world for millennia to come," said Ruffalo. He added: "Right now, the leader that's best positioned to protect the rainforest is Lula." With just days to go until the October 30 vote, the two bitter rivals are scrambling to win over undecided voters in a historically tight race. Lula has 52 percent of the vote heading into the runoff, to 48 percent for Bolsonaro, according to a recent poll. Momoa is the latest celebrity to come out against Bolsonaro, whose tenure has been marked by increased deforestation, more logging and the supplanting of Indigenous people in the Amazon. Ahead of the first round of elections, Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill tweeted "The future is YOURS, Brasil", along with a caricature of the former president captioned "Lula Skywalker". Leonardo DiCaprio, who has a long track record of environmentalism, has encouraged Brazilians to vote, citing the importance of the Amazon. Bolsonaro is seeking a second term after a four-year mandate in which he was excoriated for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his controversial statements on women, the press, minorities, and perceived enemies such as the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Lula, Brazil's president from 2003 to 2010, is seeking a comeback after spending more than a year in jail on controversial, since-overturned charges stemming from the investigation of a massive graft scheme centered on state-run oil company Petrobras.

Jason Momoa expresses support for Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

"Please tell me that you aren't a leftist, you are too pretty to be one," reads a message that a Brazilian woman received on the dating app Tinder.

As the political fervour in Brazil gains heat, the elections have breached every phase of its citizens' lives; even their romantic life and dating apps.

"I am a leftist (and) I will ask who you vote for. It's important that we think alike," warns one user Gabriela's profile, reports AFP.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/id-eat-an-indian-no-problem-at-all-boasts-brazil-president-jair-bolsonaro-in-a-viral-video-ad-523949">'I'd eat an Indian': Bolsonaro's old video goes viral, Brazil oppn slams him</a>

Talking to the news agency, Gabriela said&nbsp;for her it makes no sense to connect with right-wing supporters. She says she "wouldn't enjoy a beer" with a person with racist views or contempt for the LGBTQ community.

"I only (accept) those who won't vote for Bolsonaro... Everyone else, we can work things out," says another profile, this of a man called Rafael.

As incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and left-wing rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gear up for a face-off, their supporters are waging an ideological war of their own on dating sites.

Watch |&nbsp;President Bolsonaro rides jet-ski while campaigning in Northern Brazil

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Javier Tuiran, Bumble's Latin America communications manager told AFP that in Brazil the "political filter" on dating applications is being put into use very frequently. Use of the filter as per him rose in the months before the October 2 first round of elections.

Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro have also found a platform for their specific dating needs: A Facebook group called "Bolsoteiros". The name is a combination of Bolsonaro and solteiro,&nbsp; the Portuguese word for single.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/id-eat-an-indian-no-problem-at-all-boasts-brazil-president-jair-bolsonaro-in-a-viral-video-ad-523949">'I'd eat an Indian': Bolsonaro's old video goes viral, Brazil oppn slams him</a>

The group was started in 2019 by Elaine Souza, a social worker, and has around 6,700 members. As Souza puts it, "The left defends all that we disapprove of."

Another example is PTinder, an Instagram account run by Maria Goretti with 26,100 followers, and "seeks to generate interactions, including with singles announcements, among opponents of Bolsonaro."

(With inputs from agencies)

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"Please tell me that you aren't a leftist, you are too pretty to be one," reads a message that a Brazilian woman received on the dating app Tinder. As the political fervour in Brazil gains heat, the elections have breached every phase of its citizens' lives; even their romantic life and dating apps.

"Please tell me that you aren't a leftist, you are too pretty to be one," reads a message that a Brazilian woman received on the dating app Tinder. As the political fervour in Brazil gains heat, the elections have breached every phase of its citizens' lives; even their romantic life and dating apps. "I am a leftist (and) I will ask who you vote for. It's important that we think alike," warns one user Gabriela's profile, reports AFP. Also read | 'I'd eat an Indian': Bolsonaro's old video goes viral, Brazil oppn slams him Talking to the news agency, Gabriela said for her it makes no sense to connect with right-wing supporters. She says she "wouldn't enjoy a beer" with a person with racist views or contempt for the LGBTQ community. "I only (accept) those who won't vote for Bolsonaro... Everyone else, we can work things out," says another profile, this of a man called Rafael. As incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and left-wing rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gear up for a face-off, their supporters are waging an ideological war of their own on dating sites. Watch | President Bolsonaro rides jet-ski while campaigning in Northern Brazil Javier Tuiran, Bumble's Latin America communications manager told AFP that in Brazil the "political filter" on dating applications is being put into use very frequently. Use of the filter as per him rose in the months before the October 2 first round of elections. Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro have also found a platform for their specific dating needs: A Facebook group called "Bolsoteiros". The name is a combination of Bolsonaro and solteiro, the Portuguese word for single. Also read | 'I'd eat an Indian': Bolsonaro's old video goes viral, Brazil oppn slams him The group was started in 2019 by Elaine Souza, a social worker, and has around 6,700 members. As Souza puts it, "The left defends all that we disapprove of." Another example is PTinder, an Instagram account run by Maria Goretti with 26,100 followers, and "seeks to generate interactions, including with singles announcements, among opponents of Bolsonaro." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Tell me you aren't leftist,' 'Won't enjoy beer with a right-winger': Brazil election takes over dating apps

"I'd eat an Indian, no problem at all," boasted Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro in an interview several years ago, referring to the country's indigenous community. Now, the video has been unearthed in the run-up to the Presidential election run-off and the opposition is trying to weaponise it.

As Brazil gears up for the October 30th runoffs, the political and "smear" campaigns by the two main contenders; right-wing Jair Bolsonaro and leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, are heating up rapidly.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Brazil: Bolsonaro calls Lula 'drunk' ahead of runoff

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In a series of ads, Lula has been quick to point out the various blunders his rival has made. One video, which an electoral judge has now banned, unearthed a damning interview that Bolsonaro gave to a foreign journalist.

The cannibalism statement has taken the internet by surprise. It was uttered by Bolsonaro in 2016 during an interview with Simon Romero, a New York Times journalist.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-war-in-ukraine-would-not-have-happened-if-donald-trump-was-still-in-power-says-jair-bolsonaro-523466" hreflang="en">'The war in Ukraine would not have happened' if Donald Trump was 'still in power,' says Jair Bolsonaro</a>

As per a Guardian report of the interview which is in Portuguese, Bolsonaro describes the destitution he witnessed during a visit to Haiti. He starts by discussing the "unhygienic" Haitian women involved in the sex trade and switches to making claims about what he claims was a cannibalistic ritual practised by the indigenous Yanomami community in northern Roraima state.

"There was this time I was in Surucuru … and an Indian had died and they were cooking him. They cook Indians. It’s their culture," claims Bolsonaro to the confounded interviewer, who then asks him "Their bodies?"

Bolsonaro confirms this and then goes on to make claims about a "ritual".

“They cook it for two or three days and then eat it with banana."

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<h5>"I wanted to see an Indian being cooked but the guy said if you go, you have to eat it. ‘I’ll eat it,’ I said. But no one else in my group wanted to go … so I didn’t go. But I’d eat an Indian, no problem at all. It’s their culture."</h5>
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Lula's ad then has an off-camera narrator say: "After all the absurdities Brazil has heard from Bolsonaro, here's another, even more horrifying: he reveals that he would eat human flesh. Brazil can no longer put up with Bolsonaro."

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🚨AGORA: Bolsonaro vai ao TSE contra propaganda de Lula mostrando que o presidente já considerou comer carne humana. 
 
Bolsonaro não quer que esse vídeo viralize, então não deem RT nesse tweet. Repito: não espalhem!!! <a href="https://t.co/X8XGR2UAGk">pic.twitter.com/X8XGR2UAGk</a>
— CHOQUEI (@choquei) <a href="https://twitter.com/choquei/status/1578407854431948800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolsonaro-and-lula-garner-significant-endorsements-as-they-ready-for-brazils-presidential-runoffs-522649">Bolsonaro, Lula garner significant endorsements as they prepare for Brazil's presidential runoff</a>

Since the ad and the interview went viral a Yanomami leader, Junior Hekurari has categorically denied that his culture practices cannibalistic rituals.

Judge Paulo de Tarso Sanseverino of the Superior Electoral Tribunal who had the ad taken down said that it was "out of context," and that the interview had been edited to change its original meaning, "suggesting that the candidate could accept the possibility of consuming human flesh in any circumstance."

(With inputs from agencies)

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"I'd eat an Indian, no problem at all," boasted Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro in an interview several years ago, referring to the country's indigenous community.

"I'd eat an Indian, no problem at all," boasted Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro in an interview several years ago, referring to the country's indigenous community. Now, the video has been unearthed in the run-up to the Presidential election run-off and the opposition is trying to weaponise it. As Brazil gears up for the October 30th runoffs, the political and "smear" campaigns by the two main contenders; right-wing Jair Bolsonaro and leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, are heating up rapidly. Watch | Brazil: Bolsonaro calls Lula 'drunk' ahead of runoff In a series of ads, Lula has been quick to point out the various blunders his rival has made. One video, which an electoral judge has now banned, unearthed a damning interview that Bolsonaro gave to a foreign journalist. The cannibalism statement has taken the internet by surprise. It was uttered by Bolsonaro in 2016 during an interview with Simon Romero, a New York Times journalist. Also read | 'The war in Ukraine would not have happened' if Donald Trump was 'still in power,' says Jair Bolsonaro As per a Guardian report of the interview which is in Portuguese, Bolsonaro describes the destitution he witnessed during a visit to Haiti. He starts by discussing the "unhygienic" Haitian women involved in the sex trade and switches to making claims about what he claims was a cannibalistic ritual practised by the indigenous Yanomami community in northern Roraima state. "There was this time I was in Surucuru … and an Indian had died and they were cooking him. They cook Indians. It’s their culture," claims Bolsonaro to the confounded interviewer, who then asks him "Their bodies?" Bolsonaro confirms this and then goes on to make claims about a "ritual". “They cook it for two or three days and then eat it with banana." "I wanted to see an Indian being cooked but the guy said if you go, you have to eat it. ‘I’ll eat it,’ I said. But no one else in my group wanted to go … so I didn’t go. But I’d eat an Indian, no problem at all. It’s their culture." × Lula's ad then has an off-camera narrator say: "After all the absurdities Brazil has heard from Bolsonaro, here's another, even more horrifying: he reveals that he would eat human flesh. Brazil can no longer put up with Bolsonaro." 🚨AGORA: Bolsonaro vai ao TSE contra propaganda de Lula mostrando que o presidente já considerou comer carne humana. Bolsonaro não quer que esse vídeo viralize, então não deem RT nesse tweet. Repito: não espalhem!!! pic.twitter.com/X8XGR2UAGk — CHOQUEI (@choquei) October 7, 2022 × Also read | Bolsonaro, Lula garner significant endorsements as they prepare for Brazil's presidential runoff Since the ad and the interview went viral a Yanomami leader, Junior Hekurari has categorically denied that his culture practices cannibalistic rituals. Judge Paulo de Tarso Sanseverino of the Superior Electoral Tribunal who had the ad taken down said that it was "out of context," and that the interview had been edited to change its original meaning, "suggesting that the candidate could accept the possibility of consuming human flesh in any circumstance." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'I'd eat an Indian': Bolsonaro's old video goes viral, Brazil oppn slams him

As the October 30, Brazillian presidential runoff draws closer far-right incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro during an interview commented that if Donald Trump was still the US President he could've averted the Russia-Ukraine war that has been on for more than seven months now.

Speaking to the news magazine Veja, Bolsonaro also said that he had a good in-person meeting with Trump's successor Joe Biden. However, he asserted that if his close ally Trump was still in office, many issues currently bedevilling the world could've been avoided.

Watch |&nbsp;Brazil Presidential runoff: Will the country see a smooth power transition?

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"Some think that the war in Ukraine would not have happened if he were still in power," he said adding, "I agree with that."

However, he failed to elaborate on how the former President would have done so.

As per Reuters the remarks could add to tensions with Washington and are sure to rile the white house.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolsonaro-and-lula-garner-significant-endorsements-as-they-ready-for-brazils-presidential-runoffs-522649">Bolsonaro, Lula garner significant endorsements as they prepare for Brazil's presidential runoff</a>

Recently, Trump also endorsed fellow right-wing populist Bolsonaro, calling him "one of the great presidents of any country in the world ... respected by everybody throughout the world."

Bolsonaro and Trump have long been allies, with the former an ardent admirer of the latter. Even when Trump saw his international popularity fall after the fallout of the 2020 US election, Jair Bolsonaro remained a fan. He was also among the last world leaders to recognise Joe Biden's victory, echoing Trump's US electoral fraud allegations till the end.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-opinion-poll-shows-lula-with-51-support-bolsonaro-43-fears-of-going-wrong-remain-523015">Brazil: Opinion poll shows Lula with 51% support, Bolsonaro 43%, amid fears of going wrong again</a>

Bolsonaro is also prone to alleging electoral fraud in his home country. There are fears that if Bolsonaro's rival leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were to overtake him, the right-wing leader might take a leaf out of Trump's book and refuse to accept the result.

While talking to Veja he once again kept up his unfounded questioning of Brazil's electronic voting system, while declining to give a clear answer on whether he would accept the results if he lost in the second round.&nbsp;

"There's a feeling in public opinion that there was something dodgy," he said adding "I'm always worried."

(With inputs from agencies)

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As the October 30, Brazillian presidential runoff draws closer far-right incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro during an interview commented that if Donald Trump was still the US President he could've averted the Russia-Ukraine war that has been on for more than seven months now.

As the October 30, Brazillian presidential runoff draws closer far-right incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro during an interview commented that if Donald Trump was still the US President he could've averted the Russia-Ukraine war that has been on for more than seven months now. Speaking to the news magazine Veja, Bolsonaro also said that he had a good in-person meeting with Trump's successor Joe Biden. However, he asserted that if his close ally Trump was still in office, many issues currently bedevilling the world could've been avoided. Watch | Brazil Presidential runoff: Will the country see a smooth power transition? "Some think that the war in Ukraine would not have happened if he were still in power," he said adding, "I agree with that." However, he failed to elaborate on how the former President would have done so. As per Reuters the remarks could add to tensions with Washington and are sure to rile the white house. Also read | Bolsonaro, Lula garner significant endorsements as they prepare for Brazil's presidential runoff Recently, Trump also endorsed fellow right-wing populist Bolsonaro, calling him "one of the great presidents of any country in the world ... respected by everybody throughout the world." Bolsonaro and Trump have long been allies, with the former an ardent admirer of the latter. Even when Trump saw his international popularity fall after the fallout of the 2020 US election, Jair Bolsonaro remained a fan. He was also among the last world leaders to recognise Joe Biden's victory, echoing Trump's US electoral fraud allegations till the end. Also read | Brazil: Opinion poll shows Lula with 51% support, Bolsonaro 43%, amid fears of going wrong again Bolsonaro is also prone to alleging electoral fraud in his home country. There are fears that if Bolsonaro's rival leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were to overtake him, the right-wing leader might take a leaf out of Trump's book and refuse to accept the result. While talking to Veja he once again kept up his unfounded questioning of Brazil's electronic voting system, while declining to give a clear answer on whether he would accept the results if he lost in the second round. "There's a feeling in public opinion that there was something dodgy," he said adding "I'm always worried." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'The war in Ukraine would not have happened' if Donald Trump was 'still in power,' says Jair Bolsonaro

With just few weeks left for the Brazil presidential runoff, the face off between between Lula da Silva, a left-wing former president and right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro turned uglier.

Brazil: Bolsonaro calls Lula 'drunk' ahead of runoff

An opinion poll in Brazil has shown leftist presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva maintaining a significant lead over right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro.

The survey taken by IPEC, which was earlier criticised for severely underestimating Bolsonaro’s popularity, showed Lula with 51 per cent voter support compared to Bolsonaro's 43 per cent in the second round of votes. There is a margin of error of two percentage points.

In the first round, Lula, who leads a broad centre-left coalition, won by a slimmer-than-expected five percentage points. This came as a major shock to many pollsters who predicted a comfortable margin for the left leader.

In the first round, Lula was shown with 52 per cent support against Bolsonaro’s 37 per cent against the October 30 run-off.

If the latest IPEC poll is anything to go by, then Lula seems to be leading by eight percentage points, which is better than his first-round vote, when there were 11 candidates, reports Reuters news agency.

However, he needs to have at least a 14-point lead to get to that comfortable mark. According to reports, the latest figure shows that the presidential race is more competitive than earlier believed.

But it seems that Lula is holding a strong show of support amongst his supporters and the general voters.

On Wednesday, centrist Brazilian Senator Simone Tebet, who finished third in the first round of votes on Sunday and eventually got eliminated from the race, threw her support behind Lula.

Tebet said she supports Lula because he had shown commitment to Brazil's democracy and constitution.

(With inputs from agencies)

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An opinion poll in Brazil has shown leftist presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva maintaining a significant lead over right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro.

An opinion poll in Brazil has shown leftist presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva maintaining a significant lead over right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. The survey taken by IPEC, which was earlier criticised for severely underestimating Bolsonaro’s popularity, showed Lula with 51 per cent voter support compared to Bolsonaro's 43 per cent in the second round of votes. There is a margin of error of two percentage points. In the first round, Lula, who leads a broad centre-left coalition, won by a slimmer-than-expected five percentage points. This came as a major shock to many pollsters who predicted a comfortable margin for the left leader. In the first round, Lula was shown with 52 per cent support against Bolsonaro’s 37 per cent against the October 30 run-off. If the latest IPEC poll is anything to go by, then Lula seems to be leading by eight percentage points, which is better than his first-round vote, when there were 11 candidates, reports Reuters news agency. However, he needs to have at least a 14-point lead to get to that comfortable mark. According to reports, the latest figure shows that the presidential race is more competitive than earlier believed. But it seems that Lula is holding a strong show of support amongst his supporters and the general voters. On Wednesday, centrist Brazilian Senator Simone Tebet, who finished third in the first round of votes on Sunday and eventually got eliminated from the race, threw her support behind Lula. Tebet said she supports Lula because he had shown commitment to Brazil's democracy and constitution. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Brazil: Opinion poll shows Lula with 51% support, Bolsonaro 43%, amid fears of going wrong again

As Brazil's incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and challenger Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gear up for their upcoming October 30 battle where they face off in a presidential runoff, both the contenders got key endorsements.

In Sunday's first-round election, they finished with a closer than expected five-point difference with Lula getting 48 per cent and Bolsonaro 43 per cent.

Watch |&nbsp;WION Dispatch | Brazil presidential elections: Jair Bolsonaro vs Lula da Silva: No clear winner?

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While Bolsonaro raked up multiple endorsements, including one from his former justice minister, influential campaign buster Sergio Moro, Lula got a significant one from contender Ciro Gomes who finished fourth in the first round.

Lula's endorsement came as a surprise, as he and Gomes have a long history of animosity. Gomes in a video said that he grudgingly supports the endorsement as "the only exit, under the circumstances."

Third-place candidate Simone Tebet also hinted that she might back Lula. If he gets this endorsement it might prove key in luring the votes of centre-right Tebet's socially conservative women voters.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolsonarismo-right-wing-wins-brazils-congress-big-night-for-bolsonaro-allies-522364">‘Bolsonarismo’: Right-wing wins Brazil’s Congress, big night for Bolsonaro allies</a>

The newly re-elected Romeu Zema and Claudio Castro, the governors of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, the second and third largest states in Brazil, respectively, also endorsed Bolsonaro.

As did Sao Paulo's departing governor Rodrigo Garcia, who lost his own bid for reelection.&nbsp;

They will now be fighting to woo the voters who voted for third- and fourth-place finishers, Tebet and centre-left candidate Gomes, as well as those who cast blank, spoiled ballots and those who forego voting.

(With inputs from agencies)

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As Brazil's incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and challenger Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gear up for their upcoming October 30 battle where they face off in a presidential runoff, both the contenders got key endorsements.

As Brazil's incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and challenger Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gear up for their upcoming October 30 battle where they face off in a presidential runoff, both the contenders got key endorsements. In Sunday's first-round election, they finished with a closer than expected five-point difference with Lula getting 48 per cent and Bolsonaro 43 per cent. Watch | WION Dispatch | Brazil presidential elections: Jair Bolsonaro vs Lula da Silva: No clear winner? While Bolsonaro raked up multiple endorsements, including one from his former justice minister, influential campaign buster Sergio Moro, Lula got a significant one from contender Ciro Gomes who finished fourth in the first round. Lula's endorsement came as a surprise, as he and Gomes have a long history of animosity. Gomes in a video said that he grudgingly supports the endorsement as "the only exit, under the circumstances." Third-place candidate Simone Tebet also hinted that she might back Lula. If he gets this endorsement it might prove key in luring the votes of centre-right Tebet's socially conservative women voters. Also read | ‘Bolsonarismo’: Right-wing wins Brazil’s Congress, big night for Bolsonaro allies The newly re-elected Romeu Zema and Claudio Castro, the governors of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, the second and third largest states in Brazil, respectively, also endorsed Bolsonaro. As did Sao Paulo's departing governor Rodrigo Garcia, who lost his own bid for reelection. They will now be fighting to woo the voters who voted for third- and fourth-place finishers, Tebet and centre-left candidate Gomes, as well as those who cast blank, spoiled ballots and those who forego voting. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Bolsonaro, Lula garner significant endorsements as they prepare for Brazil's presidential runoff

Voting began in Brazil on Sunday, kicking off a stiff contest between leftist frontrunner Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. As per reports, Bolsonaro has alleged Brazil's voting machines are plagued by fraud.

Voting begins in Brazil's presidential race; Silva leads by 10-15% in opinion polls

Voting begins in Brazil's presidential race; Bolsonaro witnesses a dip in his popularity

What is driving tensions ahead of Brazil's presidential election?

A website which was used for the glorification of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been hacked by an internet prankster.

Mocking Bolsonaro’s “clownish” and “neo-fascist” government, the prankster managed to commandeer the URL following the Brazilian leader's failure to pay for its renewal.

In a cartoon depicted on the website, the prankster has illustrated Bolsonaro as an evil man with a long, pointed nose and a snake sticking out of his mouth instead of tongue.

The cartoon which depicts Bolsonaro as a hate-filled liar quotes an excerpt from Psalm 140: “Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men … the poison of vipers is on their lips.”

Due to his internationally condemned response to&nbsp;Covid outbreak that has killed more than 680,000 Brazilians, Bolsonaro should be behind bars, the prankster said.

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Calling him weak, pathetic and a court jester, the populist clan has slammed Bolsonaro for decrying servility to his US ally Donald Trump.

From Satan to Adolf Hitler, the 67-year-old leader has been depicted in various scathing caricatures on the website.

A disclaimer at the bottom of the page says, “This website is not administered by nor does it belong to the Bolsonaro family.”

Current polls show that Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva will likely beat Bolsonaro in Brazil's election that will be held in October.

Labelling a prominent female journalist “an embarrassment to Brazilian journalism”, Bolsonaro lashed out when she asked him about the hacking of the website.

(With inputs from agencies)

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&nbsp;

A website which was used for the glorification of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been hacked by an internet prankster. Mocking Bolsonaro’s “clownish” and “neo-fascist” government, the prankster managed to commandeer the URL following the Brazilian leader's failure to pay for its renewal.

A website which was used for the glorification of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been hacked by an internet prankster. Mocking Bolsonaro’s “clownish” and “neo-fascist” government, the prankster managed to commandeer the URL following the Brazilian leader's failure to pay for its renewal. In a cartoon depicted on the website, the prankster has illustrated Bolsonaro as an evil man with a long, pointed nose and a snake sticking out of his mouth instead of tongue. The cartoon which depicts Bolsonaro as a hate-filled liar quotes an excerpt from Psalm 140: “Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men … the poison of vipers is on their lips.” Due to his internationally condemned response to Covid outbreak that has killed more than 680,000 Brazilians, Bolsonaro should be behind bars, the prankster said. × Calling him weak, pathetic and a court jester, the populist clan has slammed Bolsonaro for decrying servility to his US ally Donald Trump. From Satan to Adolf Hitler, the 67-year-old leader has been depicted in various scathing caricatures on the website. A disclaimer at the bottom of the page says, “This website is not administered by nor does it belong to the Bolsonaro family.” Current polls show that Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva will likely beat Bolsonaro in Brazil's election that will be held in October. Labelling a prominent female journalist “an embarrassment to Brazilian journalism”, Bolsonaro lashed out when she asked him about the hacking of the website. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here ×

'Snake-tongued liar': Internet prankster hijacks website that glorified Brazilian President Bolsonaro

As the Presidential battle in Brazil heats up, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva the leftist candidate has taken a dig at his rival Jair Bolsonaro, calling him a "cheap copy" of former US President Donald Trump.&nbsp;

Da Silva accused his far-right rival of taking a page out of the American far-right&nbsp;politician's following Bolsonaro's attacks on the country's electronic voting system.&nbsp;

AFP reports that Bolsonaro frequently asserts, with little proof, that the system is fraudulent, generating concerns that, should he lose the election in Brazil in October, he might not accept the results.

Watch |&nbsp;Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro attends religious rally in an attempt to woo voters

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In a conversation with foreign correspondents, Lula claimed that Bolsonaro "has lied, spread fake news, and defied our institutions."

The 76-year-old, who is in the lead in the polls, continued, "He's a cheap copy of Trump."

"Trump also tried to avoid accepting the result. They tried to invade the Capitol, and in the end he had to give in," Lula said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coward-jair-bolsonaro-lands-in-controversy-tries-to-snatch-phone-off-a-heckler-watch-video-here-508247">'Coward' Jair Bolsonaro gets into a spat, tries to snatch phone off heckler. Watch video here!</a>

He also underlined his confidence in Brazilian institutions, saying they will uphold the election outcome "without question."

Bolsonaro's criticism of the electronic voting machines Brazil has been using since 1996 has sparked worries. Fears have been voiced that Bolsonaro, known as "Tropical Trump," may imitate his political idol if he loses the October elections.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gloves-off-in-brazil-as-lula-bolsonaro-officially-start-courting-voters-507585">Gloves off in Brazil as Lula, Bolsonaro officially start courting voters</a>

The incumbent in a recent interview said that he would respect the outcome "as long as the elections are clean and transparent."

However, some Brazilians worry that their nation would have its own, possibly more violent, version of the assault on the Washington, D.C., Capitol last year, when Trump supporters rioted in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Congress from confirming their candidate's loss in the 2020 election.

(With inputs from agencies)

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As the Presidential battle in Brazil heats up, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva the leftist candidate has taken a dig at his rival Jair Bolsonaro, calling him a "cheap copy" of former US President Donald Trump.

As the Presidential battle in Brazil heats up, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva the leftist candidate has taken a dig at his rival Jair Bolsonaro, calling him a "cheap copy" of former US President Donald Trump. Da Silva accused his far-right rival of taking a page out of the American far-right politician's following Bolsonaro's attacks on the country's electronic voting system. AFP reports that Bolsonaro frequently asserts, with little proof, that the system is fraudulent, generating concerns that, should he lose the election in Brazil in October, he might not accept the results. Watch | Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro attends religious rally in an attempt to woo voters In a conversation with foreign correspondents, Lula claimed that Bolsonaro "has lied, spread fake news, and defied our institutions." The 76-year-old, who is in the lead in the polls, continued, "He's a cheap copy of Trump." "Trump also tried to avoid accepting the result. They tried to invade the Capitol, and in the end he had to give in," Lula said. Also read | 'Coward' Jair Bolsonaro gets into a spat, tries to snatch phone off heckler. Watch video here! He also underlined his confidence in Brazilian institutions, saying they will uphold the election outcome "without question." Bolsonaro's criticism of the electronic voting machines Brazil has been using since 1996 has sparked worries. Fears have been voiced that Bolsonaro, known as "Tropical Trump," may imitate his political idol if he loses the October elections. Also read | Gloves off in Brazil as Lula, Bolsonaro officially start courting voters The incumbent in a recent interview said that he would respect the outcome "as long as the elections are clean and transparent." However, some Brazilians worry that their nation would have its own, possibly more violent, version of the assault on the Washington, D.C., Capitol last year, when Trump supporters rioted in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Congress from confirming their candidate's loss in the 2020 election. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Brazil elections: Da Silva calls Jair Bolsonaro a 'cheap copy' of Donald Trump

In the middle of the Brazilian election campaign season, President Jair&nbsp;Bolsonaro has made a fool of himself. The leader got into a scuffle&nbsp;with a social media influencer on Thursday after the 'heckler'&nbsp;dubbed the politician a "bum" and a "coward"&nbsp;and questioned&nbsp;him.

Video of the altercation outside the presidential mansion shows Bolsonaro grabbing the heckler in an apparent attempt to take his phone, as the man recorded himself criticising the far-right leader.

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Abuso de Poder: Jair Bolsonaro tenta restringir a liberdade de expressão de YouTuber 
 
Jair Bolsonaro abusando do seu poder, tento restringir a liberdade de expressão, ao tentar pegar o celular do YouTuber que o chamou de Tchutchuca do Centrão e questionava no Palácio do Alvorada. <a href="https://t.co/tYuj3WGmt6">pic.twitter.com/tYuj3WGmt6</a>
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The demonstrator as per an AFP report has been identified by news website G1 as Wilker Leao "a self-described lawyer, army corporal, politics junkie and military enthusiast with 127,000 followers on TikTok".

Watch |&nbsp;Brazilians took to the streets in defense of democracy over Bolsonaro election fears

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It further reports that Leao approached the president while filming with his phone and questioned why the leader had joined forces with the "Centrao," a coalition of parties, renowned for their involvement in corruption, and signed laws that limited plea bargains, which are frequently utilised in anti-corruption investigations.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gloves-off-in-brazil-as-lula-bolsonaro-officially-start-courting-voters-507585">Gloves off in Brazil as Lula, Bolsonaro officially start courting voters</a>

As per a Reuters report, the president was subjected to a barrage of insults from Leao, including the terms "coward" and "Centrao's b****."

The video shows Jair Bolsonaro&nbsp;grabbing Leao by the front of his football jersey and then grasping his left arm with both hands, saying, "Come here, I want to talk to you."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/bolsonaro-climate-change-and-fires-the-story-of-amazon-rainforests-devastation-506070">Bolsonaro, climate change, and fires: The story of Amazon rainforest's devastation</a>

Soon after the president's security team stepped in and led Leao away.

As per local media reports, afterwards, Bolsonaro permitted Leao to approach again, this time with a line of security between them and spoke briefly with him.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In the middle of the Brazilian election campaign season, President Jair Bolsonaro has made a fool of himself. The leader got into a scuffle with a social media influencer on Thursday after the 'heckler' dubbed the politician a "bum" and a "coward" and questioned him.

In the middle of the Brazilian election campaign season, President Jair Bolsonaro has made a fool of himself. The leader got into a scuffle with a social media influencer on Thursday after the 'heckler' dubbed the politician a "bum" and a "coward" and questioned him. Video of the altercation outside the presidential mansion shows Bolsonaro grabbing the heckler in an apparent attempt to take his phone, as the man recorded himself criticising the far-right leader. Watch the video here: Abuso de Poder: Jair Bolsonaro tenta restringir a liberdade de expressão de YouTuber Jair Bolsonaro abusando do seu poder, tento restringir a liberdade de expressão, ao tentar pegar o celular do YouTuber que o chamou de Tchutchuca do Centrão e questionava no Palácio do Alvorada. pic.twitter.com/tYuj3WGmt6 — Fllics (@fllics) August 18, 2022 × The demonstrator as per an AFP report has been identified by news website G1 as Wilker Leao "a self-described lawyer, army corporal, politics junkie and military enthusiast with 127,000 followers on TikTok". Watch | Brazilians took to the streets in defense of democracy over Bolsonaro election fears It further reports that Leao approached the president while filming with his phone and questioned why the leader had joined forces with the "Centrao," a coalition of parties, renowned for their involvement in corruption, and signed laws that limited plea bargains, which are frequently utilised in anti-corruption investigations. Also read | Gloves off in Brazil as Lula, Bolsonaro officially start courting voters As per a Reuters report, the president was subjected to a barrage of insults from Leao, including the terms "coward" and "Centrao's b****." The video shows Jair Bolsonaro grabbing Leao by the front of his football jersey and then grasping his left arm with both hands, saying, "Come here, I want to talk to you." Also read | Bolsonaro, climate change, and fires: The story of Amazon rainforest's devastation Soon after the president's security team stepped in and led Leao away. As per local media reports, afterwards, Bolsonaro permitted Leao to approach again, this time with a line of security between them and spoke briefly with him. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Coward' Jair Bolsonaro gets into a spat, tries to snatch phone off heckler. Watch video here!

Tuesday marked the official beginning of the campaigns of Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and his leftist front-runner rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for Brazil's most divisive elections in decades.

Bolsonaro, a nationalist-populist with a conservative Christian agenda is running against a former union leader who served as president of the nation for two terms (2003–2010) but was imprisoned for corruption before his convictions were overturned.

In Juiz de Fora, where he was stabbed during the 2018 campaign that propelled him to power on a wave of anti-Lula enthusiasm, Bolsonaro, a former army captain, addressed a throng early on Tuesday afternoon.

Watch |&nbsp;Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro attends religious rally in an attempt to woo voters

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"Our country doesn't want corruption anymore, it wants order and prosperity," he said.

Lula began his campaign with a stop at the Volkswagen car factory's gates in industrial Sao Bernardo dos Campos outside of Sao Paulo, where he became a labour leader in the 1970s and pushed for better pay despite suppression under the military dictatorship. At 76, Lula is nine years older than his rival.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/bolsonaro-climate-change-and-fires-the-story-of-amazon-rainforests-devastation-506070">Bolsonaro, climate change, and fires: The story of Amazon rainforest's devastation</a>

In a video shared on social media early on Tuesday, Lula claimed that under Bolsonaro, hunger had returned to Brazil and that families unable to make ends meet on minimum wage were being affected by inflation.

He declared as he began his campaign for reelection, "We are going to have a lot of work to rebuild this country."

"I want to be president to change people's lives again, because the way it is, no one can take it anymore," he posted.

Most polls show Lula to have a double-digit lead for the October 2 election, and simulations of an anticipated second-round runoff on October 30 show Lula to have a larger lead over Bolsonaro.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-hopeful-liz-truss-criticises-uk-employees-in-a-controversial-leaked-audio-heres-what-she-said-507574" hreflang="en">PM hopeful Liz Truss criticises UK employees, in a controversial leaked audio. Here's what she said</a>

According to a survey conducted on Monday by IPEC, formerly known as IBOPE, Lula received 44 per cent of the vote to Bolsonaro's 32 per cent in the first round, significantly ahead of the other 10 contenders. In a run-off, Lula would triumph with 51 per cent of the vote over Bolsonaro's 35&nbsp;per cent, a 16-point advantage.&nbsp;Additionally, 57 per cent of Brazilians reject and 37 per cent favour Bolsonaro's leadership of the nation.

Nevertheless, Bolsonaro has reduced Lula's advantage in recent weeks by boosting welfare spending for the poor in Brazil and pressuring the government-owned oil corporation Petrobras to cut fuel prices, a major contributor to inflation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Tuesday marked the official beginning of the campaigns of Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and his leftist front-runner rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for Brazil's most divisive elections in decades.

Tuesday marked the official beginning of the campaigns of Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and his leftist front-runner rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for Brazil's most divisive elections in decades. Bolsonaro, a nationalist-populist with a conservative Christian agenda is running against a former union leader who served as president of the nation for two terms (2003–2010) but was imprisoned for corruption before his convictions were overturned. In Juiz de Fora, where he was stabbed during the 2018 campaign that propelled him to power on a wave of anti-Lula enthusiasm, Bolsonaro, a former army captain, addressed a throng early on Tuesday afternoon. Watch | Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro attends religious rally in an attempt to woo voters "Our country doesn't want corruption anymore, it wants order and prosperity," he said. Lula began his campaign with a stop at the Volkswagen car factory's gates in industrial Sao Bernardo dos Campos outside of Sao Paulo, where he became a labour leader in the 1970s and pushed for better pay despite suppression under the military dictatorship. At 76, Lula is nine years older than his rival. Also read | Bolsonaro, climate change, and fires: The story of Amazon rainforest's devastation In a video shared on social media early on Tuesday, Lula claimed that under Bolsonaro, hunger had returned to Brazil and that families unable to make ends meet on minimum wage were being affected by inflation. He declared as he began his campaign for reelection, "We are going to have a lot of work to rebuild this country." "I want to be president to change people's lives again, because the way it is, no one can take it anymore," he posted. Most polls show Lula to have a double-digit lead for the October 2 election, and simulations of an anticipated second-round runoff on October 30 show Lula to have a larger lead over Bolsonaro. Also read | PM hopeful Liz Truss criticises UK employees, in a controversial leaked audio. Here's what she said According to a survey conducted on Monday by IPEC, formerly known as IBOPE, Lula received 44 per cent of the vote to Bolsonaro's 32 per cent in the first round, significantly ahead of the other 10 contenders. In a run-off, Lula would triumph with 51 per cent of the vote over Bolsonaro's 35 per cent, a 16-point advantage. Additionally, 57 per cent of Brazilians reject and 37 per cent favour Bolsonaro's leadership of the nation. Nevertheless, Bolsonaro has reduced Lula's advantage in recent weeks by boosting welfare spending for the poor in Brazil and pressuring the government-owned oil corporation Petrobras to cut fuel prices, a major contributor to inflation. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Gloves off in Brazil as Lula, Bolsonaro officially start courting voters

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is the front-runner in the Brazilian presidential election, has been isolated along with his newlywed wife Janja after they tested positive for COVID-19.

According to a diagnosis issued by his doctor Roberto Kalil, Lula and his wife have mild symptoms and have been quarantined.

With pollster Datafolha finding 48 per cent of voters backing him, recent polls show Lula has increased his advantage over far-right incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro.

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Sociologist Rosangela da Silva, 55, known as Janja, married Lula, a 76-year-old widower, last month.

Lula, who was wildly popular during his 2003-2010 tenure in office, can make a remarkable political comeback after getting jailed on controversial corruption charges.

Brazil, which is struggling due to a weak performance on the economy and chaotic handling of Covid-19 by Bolsonaro, is looking for a change.

The poll shows that Brazil's lingering economic woes could "play in Lula's favor", according to political analyst Creomar de Souza.

For the survey, 2,556 people were interviewed between May 25 and 26 in 181 Brazilian cities and predicted that&nbsp;Lula would prevail with 58 percent of the vote in the October election.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is the front-runner in the Brazilian presidential election, has been isolated along with his newlywed wife Janja after they tested positive for COVID-19.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is the front-runner in the Brazilian presidential election, has been isolated along with his newlywed wife Janja after they tested positive for COVID-19. According to a diagnosis issued by his doctor Roberto Kalil, Lula and his wife have mild symptoms and have been quarantined. With pollster Datafolha finding 48 per cent of voters backing him, recent polls show Lula has increased his advantage over far-right incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro. Sociologist Rosangela da Silva, 55, known as Janja, married Lula, a 76-year-old widower, last month. Lula, who was wildly popular during his 2003-2010 tenure in office, can make a remarkable political comeback after getting jailed on controversial corruption charges. Brazil, which is struggling due to a weak performance on the economy and chaotic handling of Covid-19 by Bolsonaro, is looking for a change. The poll shows that Brazil's lingering economic woes could "play in Lula's favor", according to political analyst Creomar de Souza. For the survey, 2,556 people were interviewed between May 25 and 26 in 181 Brazilian cities and predicted that Lula would prevail with 58 percent of the vote in the October election. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

Brazil presidential election: Front-runner Lula isolated after he tested positive for COVID-19

At least 35 people have been killed by torrential rains in Brazil's northeastern Pernambuco state as downpours lashed two major cities on the Atlantic coast.

In what is the South American nation's fourth major flooding event in five months, 19 people died on the border between the state capital Recife and the municipality of Jaboatao dos Guararapes in a major landslide in the Jardim Monteverde community.

Expressing his "sorrow and solidarity to the victims of this sad disaster", Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has said his government will do everything possible "to alleviate the suffering."

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He has deployed a federal task force to Pernambuco "to assist in relief operations and provide the necessary aid to affected families."

Lamenting the flooding on Twitter, Bolsonaro's main opponent in an October presidential election, leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said, "My solidarity to the families in the Recife metropolitan area who are suffering from the strong rains," he wrote.

Brazil's Civil Defence in a statement that six others were killed in another landslide in the municipality of Camaragibe.

According to Brazil's federal emergency service, authorities in the neighboring state of Alagoas had registered two deaths.

The heavy rains are the product of a typical seasonal phenomenon called "eastern waves" according to meteorologist Estael Sias, of the MetSul agency.

Calling them areas of "atmospheric disturbance" that move from the African continent to Brazil's northeastern coastal region, Sias told news agency AFP, "In other areas of the Atlantic this instability forms hurricanes, but in northeastern Brazil, it has the potential for a lot of rain and even thunderstorms."&nbsp;

Torrential downpours in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro state had previously killed more than 230 people in February after Brazil spent the majority of 2021 in a severe drought. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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At least 35 people have been killed by torrential rains in Brazil's northeastern Pernambuco state as downpours lashed two major cities on the Atlantic coast. In what is the South American nation's fourth major flooding event in five months, 19 people died on the border between the state capital Recife and the municipality of Jaboatao dos Guararapes in a major landslide in the Jardim Monteverde community.

At least 35 people have been killed by torrential rains in Brazil's northeastern Pernambuco state as downpours lashed two major cities on the Atlantic coast. In what is the South American nation's fourth major flooding event in five months, 19 people died on the border between the state capital Recife and the municipality of Jaboatao dos Guararapes in a major landslide in the Jardim Monteverde community. Expressing his "sorrow and solidarity to the victims of this sad disaster", Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has said his government will do everything possible "to alleviate the suffering." He has deployed a federal task force to Pernambuco "to assist in relief operations and provide the necessary aid to affected families." Lamenting the flooding on Twitter, Bolsonaro's main opponent in an October presidential election, leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said, "My solidarity to the families in the Recife metropolitan area who are suffering from the strong rains," he wrote. Brazil's Civil Defence in a statement that six others were killed in another landslide in the municipality of Camaragibe. According to Brazil's federal emergency service, authorities in the neighboring state of Alagoas had registered two deaths. The heavy rains are the product of a typical seasonal phenomenon called "eastern waves" according to meteorologist Estael Sias, of the MetSul agency. Calling them areas of "atmospheric disturbance" that move from the African continent to Brazil's northeastern coastal region, Sias told news agency AFP, "In other areas of the Atlantic this instability forms hurricanes, but in northeastern Brazil, it has the potential for a lot of rain and even thunderstorms." Torrential downpours in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro state had previously killed more than 230 people in February after Brazil spent the majority of 2021 in a severe drought. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

Brazil: At least 35 killed in heavy rains as downpours lash two major cities

Rosangela da Silva is a&nbsp;smiley, politically active member of&nbsp;Brazil's Workers' Party, but the new wife of presidential hopeful&nbsp;Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva&nbsp;remains&nbsp;discreet&nbsp;when it comes to her private life.

Sociologist&nbsp;Da Silva and&nbsp;Lula,&nbsp;Brazil's president from 2003 to 2010, were due to be married in a ceremony on Wednesday evening, the details of which were kept top-secret.

Pictures of the couple kissing and cuddling regularly go viral on social media but Da Silva will be brought into new limelight if veteran socialist&nbsp;Lula&nbsp;returns to the presidency in elections later this year and makes her&nbsp;Brazil's first lady.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-launches-his-presidential-bid-against-brazils-jair-bolsonaro-477238">Brazil presidential election: Lula launches his campaign against Bolsonaro</a>

"I'm in love as if I were 20 years old, as if it were my first girlfriend," said&nbsp;Lula, 76, about his 55-year-old partner, nicknamed "Janja," who is credited with giving the political icon a new lease on life.

Lula&nbsp;was left distraught when his wife of more than 30 years, with whom he had four children, Marisa Leticia, died in 2017.

He had also lost his first wife, Maria de Lourdes, to hepatitis, in 1971.

Watch |&nbsp;Brazil Elections: Former President Lula launches campaign, talks about employment &amp; recovery

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"When you lose your wife, you think, well, my life has no more meaning. Then suddenly this person appears who makes you feel like you want to live again,"&nbsp;Lula&nbsp;said in a recent interview with Time magazine.

"We will get married calmly and I will have a happy campaign," said the former metal worker and trade unionist who is set for a fiery election battle against far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in October.

Born in Sao Paulo, Da Silva has a degree in sociology from Parana University in the southern city of Curitiba, where&nbsp;Lula&nbsp;was jailed between April 2018 and November 2019 on controversial corruption charges.

She joined the Workers' Party (PT) in 1983, two years after it was co-founded by&nbsp;Lula. She then worked for almost 20 years in the state energy company Itaipu Binacional.

'Cuddle you forever'&nbsp;

Brazilian media say the couple have known each other for decades but&nbsp;Lula's press service insists their amorous relationship began only at the end of 2017, during an event with left-wing artists.

The relationship was only made public in May 2019, more than a year after&nbsp;Lula&nbsp;was incarcerated.

"Lula&nbsp;is in love and the first thing he will want to do when he leaves prison is get married," one of his lawyers said following a prison visit.

Even so, it has taken him two and a half years since his liberation to tie the knot, at a private ceremony for 200 guests in Sao Paulo that is shrouded in secrecy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/brazils-bolsonaro-and-lula-stage-campaigns-for-upcoming-presidential-elections-475660">In Pics: Brazil’s Bolsonaro, Lula stage campaigns for upcoming presidential elections</a>

During&nbsp;Lula's incarceration, Da Silva would often tweet about the pain of their forced separation.

"All I want is to be able to wrap my arms around you and cuddle you forever," she wrote on the day&nbsp;Lula&nbsp;turned 74.

In November 2019, just after his liberation, they shared a kiss in front of masses of supporters outside the prison in Curitiba that had been his home for 18 months.

"I want to introduce you to someone I have already spoken about but whom some of you don't know: my future spouse," said an emotional&nbsp;Lula.

'Very politicised'&nbsp;

Since&nbsp;Lula's corruption conviction was annulled by the Supreme Court and he was again eligible to stand for election, Da Silva has accompanied him on his many trips, including to Mexico and Europe.

Lula&nbsp;has suggested that, as a first lady, Da Silva could play a role in food security programs, in a country where the Covid-19 pandemic has led to increased hunger.

Although highly active on social media for the&nbsp;Lula&nbsp;campaign, Da Silva is very&nbsp;discreet&nbsp;when it comes to her personal life, of which little is known.

According to Veja magazine, she was married for more than 10 years before her relationship with&nbsp;Lula, although she does not have any children.

Da Silva "is very politicised, she has a good political mind and is very feminist,"&nbsp;Lula&nbsp;said in September, during an interview with rapper Mano Brown's podcast.

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&nbsp;

Rosangela da Silva is a smiley, politically active member of Brazil's Workers' Party, but the new wife of presidential hopeful Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva remains discreet when it comes to her private life.

Rosangela da Silva is a smiley, politically active member of Brazil's Workers' Party, but the new wife of presidential hopeful Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva remains discreet when it comes to her private life. Sociologist Da Silva and Lula, Brazil's president from 2003 to 2010, were due to be married in a ceremony on Wednesday evening, the details of which were kept top-secret. Pictures of the couple kissing and cuddling regularly go viral on social media but Da Silva will be brought into new limelight if veteran socialist Lula returns to the presidency in elections later this year and makes her Brazil's first lady. Also read | Brazil presidential election: Lula launches his campaign against Bolsonaro "I'm in love as if I were 20 years old, as if it were my first girlfriend," said Lula, 76, about his 55-year-old partner, nicknamed "Janja," who is credited with giving the political icon a new lease on life. Lula was left distraught when his wife of more than 30 years, with whom he had four children, Marisa Leticia, died in 2017. He had also lost his first wife, Maria de Lourdes, to hepatitis, in 1971. Watch | Brazil Elections: Former President Lula launches campaign, talks about employment & recovery "When you lose your wife, you think, well, my life has no more meaning. Then suddenly this person appears who makes you feel like you want to live again," Lula said in a recent interview with Time magazine. "We will get married calmly and I will have a happy campaign," said the former metal worker and trade unionist who is set for a fiery election battle against far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in October. Born in Sao Paulo, Da Silva has a degree in sociology from Parana University in the southern city of Curitiba, where Lula was jailed between April 2018 and November 2019 on controversial corruption charges. She joined the Workers' Party (PT) in 1983, two years after it was co-founded by Lula. She then worked for almost 20 years in the state energy company Itaipu Binacional. 'Cuddle you forever' Brazilian media say the couple have known each other for decades but Lula's press service insists their amorous relationship began only at the end of 2017, during an event with left-wing artists. The relationship was only made public in May 2019, more than a year after Lula was incarcerated. "Lula is in love and the first thing he will want to do when he leaves prison is get married," one of his lawyers said following a prison visit. Even so, it has taken him two and a half years since his liberation to tie the knot, at a private ceremony for 200 guests in Sao Paulo that is shrouded in secrecy. Also read | In Pics: Brazil’s Bolsonaro, Lula stage campaigns for upcoming presidential elections During Lula's incarceration, Da Silva would often tweet about the pain of their forced separation. "All I want is to be able to wrap my arms around you and cuddle you forever," she wrote on the day Lula turned 74. In November 2019, just after his liberation, they shared a kiss in front of masses of supporters outside the prison in Curitiba that had been his home for 18 months. "I want to introduce you to someone I have already spoken about but whom some of you don't know: my future spouse," said an emotional Lula. 'Very politicised' Since Lula's corruption conviction was annulled by the Supreme Court and he was again eligible to stand for election, Da Silva has accompanied him on his many trips, including to Mexico and Europe. Lula has suggested that, as a first lady, Da Silva could play a role in food security programs, in a country where the Covid-19 pandemic has led to increased hunger. Although highly active on social media for the Lula campaign, Da Silva is very discreet when it comes to her personal life, of which little is known. According to Veja magazine, she was married for more than 10 years before her relationship with Lula, although she does not have any children. Da Silva "is very politicised, she has a good political mind and is very feminist," Lula said in September, during an interview with rapper Mano Brown's podcast. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Smiley and discreet: Who is the sociologist marrying Brazil's Presidential hopeful Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva?

Leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has launched his presidential bid against Brazil's far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

Calling on Brazilians to unite behind him to defend Brazil's democracy from the authoritarian government, Lula accused his adversary of constantly trying to hide his incompetence from&nbsp;the nation.

According to Lula, "The most serious moment the country is going through forces us to overcome our differences and build an alternative path to the incompetence and authoritarianism that govern us."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-bolsonaro-asks-leonardo-dicaprio-to-shut-up-476689/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The charismatic but tarnished steelworker-turned-politician told a rally in Sao Paulo that Bolsonaro's administration is "irresponsible and criminal."

"We want to join democrats of all political positions, classes, races, and religious beliefs ... to defeat the totalitarian threat, the hatred, violence, and discrimination hanging over our country," he added.

After presiding over a golden period that lifted some 30 million Brazilians from poverty, Lula left office with approval ratings of 87 per cent.

Even the campaigning for Brazil's presidential election does begin until August, Lula can give arch-enemy Bolsonaro a tough competition in the polarising clash.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alarming-deforestation-in-brazils-amazon-hits-new-records-kicks-off-climate-concerns-477061">Also read |&nbsp;Alarming! Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon hits new records, kicks off climate concerns</a>

He had missed the 2018 presidential race after he was convicted of corruption charges under an investigation called "Operation Car Wash" that centered on state-run oil company Petrobras.

Despite calling the case a conspiracy, Lula was jailed from April 2018 to November 2019 on charges of accepting a bribe.

However, corruption charges against Lula, that sidelined him from politics, were annulled by the Supreme Court in March last year.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world's unending wars. Catch our special series World at War every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION. 
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Leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has launched his presidential bid against Brazil's far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. Calling on Brazilians to unite behind him to defend Brazil's democracy from the authoritarian government, Lula accused his adversary of constantly trying to hide his incompetence from the nation.

Leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has launched his presidential bid against Brazil's far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. Calling on Brazilians to unite behind him to defend Brazil's democracy from the authoritarian government, Lula accused his adversary of constantly trying to hide his incompetence from the nation. According to Lula, "The most serious moment the country is going through forces us to overcome our differences and build an alternative path to the incompetence and authoritarianism that govern us." The charismatic but tarnished steelworker-turned-politician told a rally in Sao Paulo that Bolsonaro's administration is "irresponsible and criminal." "We want to join democrats of all political positions, classes, races, and religious beliefs ... to defeat the totalitarian threat, the hatred, violence, and discrimination hanging over our country," he added. After presiding over a golden period that lifted some 30 million Brazilians from poverty, Lula left office with approval ratings of 87 per cent. Even the campaigning for Brazil's presidential election does begin until August, Lula can give arch-enemy Bolsonaro a tough competition in the polarising clash. Also read | Alarming! Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon hits new records, kicks off climate concerns He had missed the 2018 presidential race after he was convicted of corruption charges under an investigation called "Operation Car Wash" that centered on state-run oil company Petrobras. Despite calling the case a conspiracy, Lula was jailed from April 2018 to November 2019 on charges of accepting a bribe. However, corruption charges against Lula, that sidelined him from politics, were annulled by the Supreme Court in March last year. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world's unending wars. Catch our special series World at War every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION.

Brazil presidential election: Lula launches his campaign against Bolsonaro

In Pics: Brazil’s Bolsonaro, Lula stage campaigns for upcoming presidential elections

The Brazilian Supreme Court’s chief justice said Thursday he&nbsp;opened a probe into right-wing President Jair&nbsp;Bolsonaro&nbsp;for posting documents to social media from a sealed police investigation into the hacking of a federal election court.

With&nbsp;Bolsonaro&nbsp;posting the documents last week while persistently claiming that the election system is open to fraud, the&nbsp;hack of the Superior Electoral Court occurred months before the 2018 election.

The president has not presented proof to back up those allegations.

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Moraes ruled that&nbsp;Bolsonaro's posts must immediately be removed from social media and that the police officer leading the inquiry be removed.

Bolsonaro&nbsp;responded in his weekly online live broadcast, saying that the classified investigation should be public.

"The federal police investigation interests all of us, so it has to be public. If not, how long will it stay under seal?"&nbsp;Bolsonaro&nbsp;asked.

He said that even if his posts were removed online, the documents had already been widely circulated.

Judges on the electoral court had requested an inquiry be opened into the matter earlier in the week.

Earlier,&nbsp;Congress defeated&nbsp;Bolsonaro's campaign earlier this week to adopt a paper record of each vote, in another blow to his weakened political position heading into the 2022 elections.

Bolsonaro, who polls say is trailing behind former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in&nbsp;2022 re-election bid, has embarked on a crusade to discredit the nation’s electronic voting system and authorities who defend it as reliable.

The electoral court has rebuffed his assertions as baseless, saying the system is trustworthy and there are several means of checking results. It also&nbsp;approved opening its own investigation of Bolsonaro, who has failed to present proof of his claim that past votes were wracked with fraud.

This week, Bolsonaro repeatedly insulted Luis Roberto Barroso, who is both a Supreme Court justice and the electoral court’s president.

As his government came under fire for its pandemic response, Bolsonaro has frequently repeated the false claim that the top court prohibited him from adopting measures to limit the virus’ spread. In fact, the court ruling ensured mayors and governors also had jurisdiction to act.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Brazilian Supreme Court’s chief justice said Thursday he opened a probe into right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro for posting documents to social media from a sealed police investigation into the hacking of a federal election court.

The Brazilian Supreme Court’s chief justice said Thursday he opened a probe into right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro for posting documents to social media from a sealed police investigation into the hacking of a federal election court. With Bolsonaro posting the documents last week while persistently claiming that the election system is open to fraud, the hack of the Superior Electoral Court occurred months before the 2018 election. The president has not presented proof to back up those allegations. Moraes ruled that Bolsonaro's posts must immediately be removed from social media and that the police officer leading the inquiry be removed. Bolsonaro responded in his weekly online live broadcast, saying that the classified investigation should be public. "The federal police investigation interests all of us, so it has to be public. If not, how long will it stay under seal?" Bolsonaro asked. He said that even if his posts were removed online, the documents had already been widely circulated. Judges on the electoral court had requested an inquiry be opened into the matter earlier in the week. Earlier, Congress defeated Bolsonaro's campaign earlier this week to adopt a paper record of each vote, in another blow to his weakened political position heading into the 2022 elections. Bolsonaro, who polls say is trailing behind former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022 re-election bid, has embarked on a crusade to discredit the nation’s electronic voting system and authorities who defend it as reliable. The electoral court has rebuffed his assertions as baseless, saying the system is trustworthy and there are several means of checking results. It also approved opening its own investigation of Bolsonaro, who has failed to present proof of his claim that past votes were wracked with fraud. This week, Bolsonaro repeatedly insulted Luis Roberto Barroso, who is both a Supreme Court justice and the electoral court’s president. As his government came under fire for its pandemic response, Bolsonaro has frequently repeated the false claim that the top court prohibited him from adopting measures to limit the virus’ spread. In fact, the court ruling ensured mayors and governors also had jurisdiction to act. (With inputs from agencies)

Brazil’s chief justice opens probe into Bolsonaro over investigation leak

President&nbsp;Jair Bolsonaro suffered a setback after a&nbsp;Brazilian congressional committee voted against a constitutional amendment to adopt printed ballots.

The 34-member committee voted 23 to 11 to shelve the amendment that Bolsonaro had advocated for weeks, claiming the country's electronic voting system is open to fraud.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/demonstrators-hold-anti-bolsonaro-protests-across-cities-in-brazil-400610/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Bolsonaro has threatened the elections because he has already lost. He wants to perpetuate himself in power. He needs to be contained," Congressman Ivan Valente of Socialism and Liberty Party told the commission.

Bolsonaro&nbsp;has for years been arguing for a paper printout to be made of each vote cast, saying the absence of a paper trail makes cheating easier.

He threw fuel on the fire surrounding his claims with a Facebook live address last Thursday in which he spent the better part of two hours insisting the 2014 and 2018 elections were fraudulent.

He says his own victory in 2018 should have come in the first round, rather than the runoff, though he has never presented evidence to back up the claim.

Previously,&nbsp;Bolsonaro raged against a Supreme Court investigation&nbsp;into his conduct and threatened to respond outside the limits of the constitution, escalating a clash between the far-right leader and the judiciary.

Bolsonaro's comments came after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes approved an investigation into the president's unfounded accusations that Brazil's electronic voting system is vulnerable to fraud.

The president called for people to take to the streets to defend his proposal and accused members of the top court of wanting to help Lula's Workers Party return to power.

On Sunday, thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in several cities to support&nbsp;Bolsonaro's campaign against electronic voting.

Opinion polls place the 66-year-old leader well behind leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the presidential race.

Bolsonaro's popularity numbers have been sliding, and he is under fire on various fronts, including a Senate investigation into his government's widely criticised handling of Covid-19.

There are fears&nbsp;Bolsonaro&nbsp;could try to use fraud claims to undermine next year's election if he loses, following in the footsteps of former US President Donald Trump, with whom he is often compared.

(With inputs from agencies)

President Jair Bolsonaro suffered a setback after a Brazilian congressional committee voted against a constitutional amendment to adopt printed ballots. The 34-member committee voted 23 to 11 to shelve the amendment that Bolsonaro had advocated for weeks, claiming the country's electronic voting system is open to fraud.

President Jair Bolsonaro suffered a setback after a Brazilian congressional committee voted against a constitutional amendment to adopt printed ballots. The 34-member committee voted 23 to 11 to shelve the amendment that Bolsonaro had advocated for weeks, claiming the country's electronic voting system is open to fraud. "Bolsonaro has threatened the elections because he has already lost. He wants to perpetuate himself in power. He needs to be contained," Congressman Ivan Valente of Socialism and Liberty Party told the commission. Bolsonaro has for years been arguing for a paper printout to be made of each vote cast, saying the absence of a paper trail makes cheating easier. He threw fuel on the fire surrounding his claims with a Facebook live address last Thursday in which he spent the better part of two hours insisting the 2014 and 2018 elections were fraudulent. He says his own victory in 2018 should have come in the first round, rather than the runoff, though he has never presented evidence to back up the claim. Previously, Bolsonaro raged against a Supreme Court investigation into his conduct and threatened to respond outside the limits of the constitution, escalating a clash between the far-right leader and the judiciary. Bolsonaro's comments came after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes approved an investigation into the president's unfounded accusations that Brazil's electronic voting system is vulnerable to fraud. The president called for people to take to the streets to defend his proposal and accused members of the top court of wanting to help Lula's Workers Party return to power. On Sunday, thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in several cities to support Bolsonaro's campaign against electronic voting. Opinion polls place the 66-year-old leader well behind leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the presidential race. Bolsonaro's popularity numbers have been sliding, and he is under fire on various fronts, including a Senate investigation into his government's widely criticised handling of Covid-19. There are fears Bolsonaro could try to use fraud claims to undermine next year's election if he loses, following in the footsteps of former US President Donald Trump, with whom he is often compared. (With inputs from agencies)

Setback for Bolsonaro after voting change sought by him defeated in Congress

President Jair Bolsonaro has lashed out at electoral authorities for ordering an investigation of his campaign against Brazil's electronic voting system, saying he refused to be "intimidated" and that the country "is under attack."

Brazil's Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) has&nbsp;opened an investigation into the far-right&nbsp;president for his statements claiming there will be fraud in next year's elections.

"I refuse to be intimidated," Bolsonaro fired back.

"I'm going to continue exercising my right to freedom of expression, to criticise, to listen to and above all answer to the will of the people," he told supporters outside the presidential palace.

"I swore to give my life for the nation in case of foreign or domestic attack. Brazil is under internal attack."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/demonstrators-hold-anti-bolsonaro-protests-across-cities-in-brazil-400610/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Bolsonaro, who is expected to seek a second term in 2022, has repeatedly said&nbsp;Brazil's electronic voting system is vulnerable to fraud.

Critics say Bolsonaro, like former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump, is sowing doubts with his unfounded claims in order to pave the way for him not to accept defeat in 2022.

Bolsonaro has long criticised electronic voting, introduced in Brazil in 1996.

He has stepped up his attacks in the build-up to the October 2022 elections, insisting on "printable and auditable" paper ballots as a backstop to the electronic system.

He has called the Superior Electoral Court's president, Luis Roberto Barroso, an "imbecile" for suggesting introducing a paper ballot could open the process to manipulation.

On Sunday, thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in several cities to support Bolsonaro's campaign against electronic voting, though the president did not take part.

Opinion polls place the 66-year-old leader well behind leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in next year's presidential race.

Bolsonaro is under fire on various fronts, including a Senate investigation into his government's widely criticised handling of COVID-19.

(With inputs from agencies)

President Jair Bolsonaro has lashed out at electoral authorities for ordering an investigation of his campaign against Brazil's electronic voting system, saying he refused to be "intimidated" and that the country "is under attack.

President Jair Bolsonaro has lashed out at electoral authorities for ordering an investigation of his campaign against Brazil's electronic voting system, saying he refused to be "intimidated" and that the country "is under attack." Brazil's Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) has opened an investigation into the far-right president for his statements claiming there will be fraud in next year's elections. "I refuse to be intimidated," Bolsonaro fired back. "I'm going to continue exercising my right to freedom of expression, to criticise, to listen to and above all answer to the will of the people," he told supporters outside the presidential palace. "I swore to give my life for the nation in case of foreign or domestic attack. Brazil is under internal attack." Bolsonaro, who is expected to seek a second term in 2022, has repeatedly said Brazil's electronic voting system is vulnerable to fraud. Critics say Bolsonaro, like former US President Donald Trump, is sowing doubts with his unfounded claims in order to pave the way for him not to accept defeat in 2022. Bolsonaro has long criticised electronic voting, introduced in Brazil in 1996. He has stepped up his attacks in the build-up to the October 2022 elections, insisting on "printable and auditable" paper ballots as a backstop to the electronic system. He has called the Superior Electoral Court's president, Luis Roberto Barroso, an "imbecile" for suggesting introducing a paper ballot could open the process to manipulation. On Sunday, thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in several cities to support Bolsonaro's campaign against electronic voting, though the president did not take part. Opinion polls place the 66-year-old leader well behind leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in next year's presidential race. Bolsonaro is under fire on various fronts, including a Senate investigation into his government's widely criticised handling of COVID-19. (With inputs from agencies)

'Brazil is under attack': President Jair Bolsonaro lashes out at new probe for attacks on voting system

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday he would hand over power to whoever wins next year's presidential election cleanly - but not if there is any fraud.

His comments will do little to dispel the concerns of his critics, who fear that the far-right former army captain will not accept any election loss in next year's vote. Bolsonaro is almost certain to face his political nemesis, former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Polls show Lula ahead.

"I'll hand over the presidential sash to whoever wins the election cleanly," Bolsonaro said in a weekly address via social media. "Not with fraud."

Since his 2018 election victory, Bolsonaro has made baseless allegations of voter fraud in Brazil, which critics say could lay the groundwork to challenge upcoming elections in the same vein as his political idol, former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

Bolsonaro backed Trump's claims of a stolen election last year, which culminated in a deadly January&nbsp;6 assault on the Capitol building in Washington by Trump supporters.

In recent months, Bolsonaro has been touting a bill for printed ballots rather than Brazil's modern computer voting. He has said the printed ballots will be easier to audit, and are thus more likely to avoid fraud. Few experts agree, and the bill has yet to gain much traction in Congress.

On Thursday, Bolsonaro said he was "alerting" people about the possibility of problems if the current electronic system remains in place.

"The people won't accept it," he said.

Bolsonaro also said his government was in talks about extending an emergency coronavirus aid package for two or three more months.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday he would hand over power to whoever wins next year's presidential election cleanly - but not if there is any fraud.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday he would hand over power to whoever wins next year's presidential election cleanly - but not if there is any fraud. His comments will do little to dispel the concerns of his critics, who fear that the far-right former army captain will not accept any election loss in next year's vote. Bolsonaro is almost certain to face his political nemesis, former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Polls show Lula ahead. "I'll hand over the presidential sash to whoever wins the election cleanly," Bolsonaro said in a weekly address via social media. "Not with fraud." Since his 2018 election victory, Bolsonaro has made baseless allegations of voter fraud in Brazil, which critics say could lay the groundwork to challenge upcoming elections in the same vein as his political idol, former US President Donald Trump. Bolsonaro backed Trump's claims of a stolen election last year, which culminated in a deadly January 6 assault on the Capitol building in Washington by Trump supporters. In recent months, Bolsonaro has been touting a bill for printed ballots rather than Brazil's modern computer voting. He has said the printed ballots will be easier to audit, and are thus more likely to avoid fraud. Few experts agree, and the bill has yet to gain much traction in Congress. On Thursday, Bolsonaro said he was "alerting" people about the possibility of problems if the current electronic system remains in place. "The people won't accept it," he said. Bolsonaro also said his government was in talks about extending an emergency coronavirus aid package for two or three more months.

Brazil's Bolsonaro says he won't hand over presidency if there is vote fraud

A magistrate on&nbsp;Brazil's Supreme Court on Thursday annulled two more cases against former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that had been brought by former judge Sergio Moro, who had previously been deemed by the same court to have been "biased" in convicting and jailing the iconic leftist leader.&nbsp;

The latest ruling invalidates all the evidence collected by Moro, meaning the trial process will have to start again from scratch.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-supreme-court-ruling-could-free-corruption-convicts-including-lula-da-silva-256611">Brazil Supreme Court ruling could free corruption convicts, including Lula da Silva</a>

That diminishes the chances of a relatively quick verdict being delivered that would block the 75-year-old Lula, as he is popularly known, from running for president in 2022.

Socialist Lula claimed his conviction was politically motivated in a bid to prevent him from running against President Jair Bolsonaro in the 2018 election that brought the far-right politician to power.

Supreme Court magistrate Gilmar Mendes said there were "factual and legal" links between the case in which Moro was declared "biased" and the other two cases that passed through the judge's court in the southern city of Curitiba during his massive anti-corruption campaign known as "Operation Car Wash."&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/landmark-car-wash-investigation-ends-with-a-whimper-in-brazil-361828">Landmark 'Car Wash' investigation ends with a whimper in&nbsp;Brazil</a>

Therefore, Mendes ordered an annulment of "all the decision-making actions" taken by Moro, including those that "preceded the procedure."&nbsp;

In 2017, Moro convicted Lula of accepting a luxury apartment in Sao Paulo as a bribe and sentenced him to more than nine years in jail.

An appeals court upheld his conviction, preventing him from running for president again as he spent 19 months in jail.

But the second chamber of the Supreme Court, which is made up of five judges, in March accepted the argument by Lula's defence that Moro's political bias was evident when he was appointed justice minister by Bolsonaro.

The Supreme Court itself later ratified that ruling by a vote of seven to four.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-supreme-court-judge-clears-ex-president-lula-of-corruption-charges-368999">Brazil Supreme Court judge clears ex-president Lula of corruption charges</a>

Mendes' decision extends that ruling to the other two cases Moro brought against the former president in Curitiba.&nbsp;

One case is related to the refurbishment of a farm in Sao Paulo state and the other to the purchase of land for the Lula Institute.&nbsp;

The former president, who was in office from 2003-2010, has always professed his innocence, but still faces three other trials, one in Brasilia and two in Sao Paulo.

A magistrate on Brazil's Supreme Court on Thursday annulled two more cases against former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that had been brought by former judge Sergio Moro, who had previously been deemed by the same court to have been "biased" in convicting and jailing the iconic leftist leader.

A magistrate on Brazil's Supreme Court on Thursday annulled two more cases against former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that had been brought by former judge Sergio Moro, who had previously been deemed by the same court to have been "biased" in convicting and jailing the iconic leftist leader. The latest ruling invalidates all the evidence collected by Moro, meaning the trial process will have to start again from scratch. Also read | Brazil Supreme Court ruling could free corruption convicts, including Lula da Silva That diminishes the chances of a relatively quick verdict being delivered that would block the 75-year-old Lula, as he is popularly known, from running for president in 2022. Socialist Lula claimed his conviction was politically motivated in a bid to prevent him from running against President Jair Bolsonaro in the 2018 election that brought the far-right politician to power. Supreme Court magistrate Gilmar Mendes said there were "factual and legal" links between the case in which Moro was declared "biased" and the other two cases that passed through the judge's court in the southern city of Curitiba during his massive anti-corruption campaign known as "Operation Car Wash." Also read | Landmark 'Car Wash' investigation ends with a whimper in Brazil Therefore, Mendes ordered an annulment of "all the decision-making actions" taken by Moro, including those that "preceded the procedure." In 2017, Moro convicted Lula of accepting a luxury apartment in Sao Paulo as a bribe and sentenced him to more than nine years in jail. An appeals court upheld his conviction, preventing him from running for president again as he spent 19 months in jail. But the second chamber of the Supreme Court, which is made up of five judges, in March accepted the argument by Lula's defence that Moro's political bias was evident when he was appointed justice minister by Bolsonaro. The Supreme Court itself later ratified that ruling by a vote of seven to four. Also read | Brazil Supreme Court judge clears ex-president Lula of corruption charges Mendes' decision extends that ruling to the other two cases Moro brought against the former president in Curitiba. One case is related to the refurbishment of a farm in Sao Paulo state and the other to the purchase of land for the Lula Institute. The former president, who was in office from 2003-2010, has always professed his innocence, but still faces three other trials, one in Brasilia and two in Sao Paulo.

Brazil judge annuls all of Moro's cases against ex-president Lula

Brazil's former leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made his return to politics Wednesday with a virulent attack on President Jair Bolsonaro and his "imbecile" handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lula, who led Brazil from 2003 to 2010, has emerged as a leading contender to face the far-right incumbent in presidential elections next year, after a Supreme Court justice annulled the popular but tarnished leftist's corruption convictions Monday, reinstating his right to run for office.

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In his first comments since the ruling, Lula, 75, gave a scathing take-down of Bolsonaro's management of the economy and signature policies.

He was especially biting on Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 266,000 people in Brazil -- the second-highest death toll worldwide, after the United States.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly downplayed the new coronavirus, flouted expert advice on containing it and fueled vaccine skepticism.

"Don't follow any imbecile decisions by the president of the republic or the health minister: get vaccinated," Lula told a news conference.

Lula, a former metal worker and union leader, led Brazil through an economic boom, and is remembered for social programs that helped lift tens of millions of people from poverty.

Recent opinion polls suggest he is the best-placed politician to unseat Bolsonaro in the October 2022 elections.

But he remains a highly controversial figure after being sentenced to a total of 26 years in jail on corruption charges stemming from a sweeping investigation into a scheme in which top politicians and business executives systematically siphoned billions of dollars from state oil company Petrobras.

He spent more than 18 months in prison, before being released in 2019 pending appeal.

'Unofficial campaign launch'

Lula called himself the victim of "the biggest judicial lie in 500 years," repeating his claim that the graft charges against him were fabricated to sideline him from the 2018 presidential race, which Bolsonaro ultimately won.

He said he planned to "fight tirelessly" for Brazil, and that he wanted to resume touring the country once he is vaccinated against Covid-19 next week.

But he declined to say whether he would run in the elections, saying "my head doesn't have time to think about a 2022 candidacy now."

Still, "his speech was a campaign launch" in all but name, said political analyst Creomar da Souza, of the consulting firm Dharma.

"He presented his project for the country, which involves a lot of references to his legacy as president," he said

Lula is still seen as a hero on the left, which argues he was the victim of a conspiracy.

Supporters point to the fact that the lead judge in the anti-corruption probe that ensnared him, Sergio Moro, went on to accept the post of justice minister under Bolsonaro, and that hacked phone messages suggest Moro conspired with prosecutors to ensure Lula was sidelined.

But Lula still faces a series of corruption and influence-peddling charges, including the ones he was jailed for, which will now be transferred to a federal court in Brasilia.

The surprise restoration of&nbsp;Lula's political rights could set up a showdown between the leftist, who governed Brazil from 2003 until 2011, against Bolsonaro in next year's election.

Brazil's former leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made his return to politics Wednesday with a virulent attack on President Jair Bolsonaro and his "imbecile" handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Brazil's former leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made his return to politics Wednesday with a virulent attack on President Jair Bolsonaro and his "imbecile" handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Lula, who led Brazil from 2003 to 2010, has emerged as a leading contender to face the far-right incumbent in presidential elections next year, after a Supreme Court justice annulled the popular but tarnished leftist's corruption convictions Monday, reinstating his right to run for office. In his first comments since the ruling, Lula, 75, gave a scathing take-down of Bolsonaro's management of the economy and signature policies. He was especially biting on Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 266,000 people in Brazil -- the second-highest death toll worldwide, after the United States. Bolsonaro has repeatedly downplayed the new coronavirus, flouted expert advice on containing it and fueled vaccine skepticism. "Don't follow any imbecile decisions by the president of the republic or the health minister: get vaccinated," Lula told a news conference. Lula, a former metal worker and union leader, led Brazil through an economic boom, and is remembered for social programs that helped lift tens of millions of people from poverty. Recent opinion polls suggest he is the best-placed politician to unseat Bolsonaro in the October 2022 elections. But he remains a highly controversial figure after being sentenced to a total of 26 years in jail on corruption charges stemming from a sweeping investigation into a scheme in which top politicians and business executives systematically siphoned billions of dollars from state oil company Petrobras. He spent more than 18 months in prison, before being released in 2019 pending appeal. 'Unofficial campaign launch' Lula called himself the victim of "the biggest judicial lie in 500 years," repeating his claim that the graft charges against him were fabricated to sideline him from the 2018 presidential race, which Bolsonaro ultimately won. He said he planned to "fight tirelessly" for Brazil, and that he wanted to resume touring the country once he is vaccinated against Covid-19 next week. But he declined to say whether he would run in the elections, saying "my head doesn't have time to think about a 2022 candidacy now." Still, "his speech was a campaign launch" in all but name, said political analyst Creomar da Souza, of the consulting firm Dharma. "He presented his project for the country, which involves a lot of references to his legacy as president," he said Lula is still seen as a hero on the left, which argues he was the victim of a conspiracy. Supporters point to the fact that the lead judge in the anti-corruption probe that ensnared him, Sergio Moro, went on to accept the post of justice minister under Bolsonaro, and that hacked phone messages suggest Moro conspired with prosecutors to ensure Lula was sidelined. But Lula still faces a series of corruption and influence-peddling charges, including the ones he was jailed for, which will now be transferred to a federal court in Brasilia. The surprise restoration of Lula's political rights could set up a showdown between the leftist, who governed Brazil from 2003 until 2011, against Bolsonaro in next year's election.

Former Brazilian President Zula blasts 'imbecile' Bolsonaro for mishandling pandemic

The Spanish bishop Pedro Casaldaliga, a fervent defender of the indigenous people of the Amazon, died Saturday at the age of 92 in Brazil, where he had been living since 1968, his office said.

The Prelature of Sao Felix do Araguaia, in the central-western state of Mato Grosso, where Casaldaliga was bishop emeritus, announced in a statement that he passed away in the morning at hospital in Batatais, near Sao Paulo.

He had been in intensive care due to respiratory problems and was suffering from Parkinson's disease.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-silence-is-puzzling-as-chinese-hackers-infiltrate-vatican-316820">Also read:&nbsp;Pope Francis' silence is puzzling as Chinese hackers infiltrate Vatican</a>

"Our land, our people are losing today an example of generous living for a better world; we will miss him very much," former left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva tweeted.

Born in 1928 in Balsareny, Catalonia, and ordained a priest in 1952, he went on mission to Sao Felix do Araguaia, in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, in 1968, while the country was under a military dictatorship.

He opposed the regime, the wealthy landowning class, and even the Vatican, defending the landless and indigenous people.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazilian-bishop-believes-covid-crisis-a-sign-from-god-dies-of-coronavirus-316204">Also read:&nbsp;Brazilian Bishop believes covid-crisis a ‘sign from God’, dies of coronavirus</a>

"In this country, it is easy to be born and die, but difficult to live," the prelate told AFP in 2012, as a TV series about his life was released -- "Barefoot on Red Soil," from the book of the same name by Catalonian writer Francesc Escribano.&nbsp;

Living under the constant threat of hired killers in the pay of large landowners, he was one of the founders of the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT) and the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI), two key bodies in the struggle for agrarian reform.&nbsp;

In 1998, Bishop Casaldaliga was called to Rome, where he underwent a tough interrogation by the then Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who seven years later became Pope Benedict XVI.

In Spain, where news of Casaldaliga's death gained considerable media attention, government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero expressed "recognition and gratitude" for the bishop's dedication of his "life to serving the poor."

The Spanish Foreign Ministry expressed its condolences as well, noting Casaldaliga's "enormous religious, humanitarian and social work, whose tangible legacy resulted in... the creation of schools and medical assistance centers."

At the end of last month, Casaldaliga and 150 other Brazilian bishops signed an open letter criticizing the extreme right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, castigating his "incompetence" and his "inability" to manage the coronavirus health crisis, which has caused nearly 100,000 deaths in Brazil -- including several hundred indigenous people.&nbsp;

The Spanish bishop Pedro Casaldaliga, a fervent defender of the indigenous people of the Amazon, died Saturday at the age of 92 in Brazil, where he had been living since 1968, his office said.

The Spanish bishop Pedro Casaldaliga, a fervent defender of the indigenous people of the Amazon, died Saturday at the age of 92 in Brazil, where he had been living since 1968, his office said. The Prelature of Sao Felix do Araguaia, in the central-western state of Mato Grosso, where Casaldaliga was bishop emeritus, announced in a statement that he passed away in the morning at hospital in Batatais, near Sao Paulo. He had been in intensive care due to respiratory problems and was suffering from Parkinson's disease. Also read: Pope Francis' silence is puzzling as Chinese hackers infiltrate Vatican "Our land, our people are losing today an example of generous living for a better world; we will miss him very much," former left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva tweeted. Born in 1928 in Balsareny, Catalonia, and ordained a priest in 1952, he went on mission to Sao Felix do Araguaia, in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, in 1968, while the country was under a military dictatorship. He opposed the regime, the wealthy landowning class, and even the Vatican, defending the landless and indigenous people. Also read: Brazilian Bishop believes covid-crisis a ‘sign from God’, dies of coronavirus "In this country, it is easy to be born and die, but difficult to live," the prelate told AFP in 2012, as a TV series about his life was released -- "Barefoot on Red Soil," from the book of the same name by Catalonian writer Francesc Escribano. Living under the constant threat of hired killers in the pay of large landowners, he was one of the founders of the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT) and the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI), two key bodies in the struggle for agrarian reform. In 1998, Bishop Casaldaliga was called to Rome, where he underwent a tough interrogation by the then Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who seven years later became Pope Benedict XVI. In Spain, where news of Casaldaliga's death gained considerable media attention, government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero expressed "recognition and gratitude" for the bishop's dedication of his "life to serving the poor." The Spanish Foreign Ministry expressed its condolences as well, noting Casaldaliga's "enormous religious, humanitarian and social work, whose tangible legacy resulted in... the creation of schools and medical assistance centers." At the end of last month, Casaldaliga and 150 other Brazilian bishops signed an open letter criticizing the extreme right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, castigating his "incompetence" and his "inability" to manage the coronavirus health crisis, which has caused nearly 100,000 deaths in Brazil -- including several hundred indigenous people.

Bishop who defended indigenous people dies in Brazil aged 92