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| President Lula | |
|---|---|
| Name | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva |
| Office | President of Brazil |
| Term start | 1 January 2023 |
| Predecessor | Jair Bolsonaro |
| Birth date | 27 October 1945 |
| Birth place | Caetés, Pernambuco, Brazil |
| Party | Workers' Party |
| Spouse | Marisa Letícia (m. 1974–2017), Rosângela da Silva (m. 2022) |
President Lula Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is a Brazilian politician and trade unionist who served as President of Brazil during multiple terms beginning in the early 2000s and returning to office in the 2020s. A founder of the Workers' Party, he rose from labor organizing in the ABC Region to national prominence, winning landmark elections and shaping 21st-century Brazilian politics through social programs and international diplomacy. His career has been marked by both large-scale social initiatives and extensive legal and political controversies.
Born in Caetés, then part of Garanhuns, in the state of Pernambuco, he migrated with his family to São Paulo as part of internal migration patterns in mid-20th-century Brazil. He worked in factories associated with industries like the metalworking sector and at companies such as Geral Motors and other multinational manufacturers, living in working-class neighborhoods such as Vila Arco-Íris and São Bernardo do Campo. Influences included regional figures from Northeast Brazil, Catholic movements tied to the Second Vatican Council, and the broader labor milieu shaped by the 1964–1985 military regime.
He emerged as a leading figure in the United Metalworkers' Union and presided over strikes in the ABC Region that challenged the Brazilian military regime. His leadership connected him with prominent labor leaders like José Alencar and intellectuals linked to movements around the Catholic Church in Brazil and the Brazilian left. In 1980 he helped found the Workers' Party, bringing together activists from organizations such as Central Única dos Trabalhadores, Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra, and community leaders from São Paulo and Minas Gerais. The party forged alliances with unions, social movements, and cultural figures including writers associated with the Tropicalismo and journalists from outlets like Folha de S.Paulo.
He ran for president multiple times, beginning with campaigns in the late 1980s and continuing through 1994 and 1998, before winning in 2002. Campaigns involved coalitions with parties such as the Brazilian Democratic Movement and political figures including Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's running mates and rivals like Fernando Henrique Cardoso, José Serra, and Aécio Neves. Electoral context included constitutional rules established by the 1988 Brazilian Constitution, economic crises tied to the Real Plan, and international influences like policy debates involving the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
His first two terms prioritized social programs such as Bolsa Família and initiatives in partnership with ministries like the Ministry of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger (MDS), aiming to reduce poverty and expand access to services in regions including the Northeast Region, Brazil. Economic policies navigated relationships with central institutions like the Banco Central do Brasil and finance ministers who engaged with markets and international creditors, while trade and industrial policy involved agreements affecting companies like Petrobras and export sectors oriented to markets in China and the European Union. Foreign policy featured outreach to organizations such as the Union of South American Nations and summits including the G20, engaging leaders like Hugo Chávez, Barack Obama, and Angela Merkel.
After leaving office, he remained influential within the Workers' Party and supported candidates in elections involving figures such as Dilma Rousseff and Michel Temer. Legal challenges and corruption investigations connected to broader probes like Operation Car Wash affected political dynamics, while international trips and meetings with leaders from the United Nations, African Union, and regional blocs maintained his global profile. Facing convictions in domestic courts, he appealed to institutions including the Supreme Federal Court and utilized legal teams with lawyers experienced in cases tied to public prosecutions.
He returned to the presidency in a subsequent election marked by polarizing contests against figures such as Jair Bolsonaro and campaigns referencing crises including the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. The administration engaged with legislative coalitions in the National Congress and appointments to ministries involving politicians affiliated with the Workers' Party and allied parties like the Brazilian Democratic Movement. Domestic priorities included revitalizing programs linked to Bolsa Família and public investment in sectors including energy companies such as Petrobras and infrastructure projects financed through development banks like the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES).
His political positions combine social-democratic measures with pragmatic alliances across the spectrum of Brazilian parties, interacting with policy arenas involving the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, and agricultural stakeholders tied to regions such as the Central-West Region, Brazil. He emphasized poverty reduction, income transfer mechanisms like Bolsa Família, industrial policy impacting the automotive industry in Brazil, and diplomatic engagement with multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. Environmental and indigenous policies involved dialogues with agencies like the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources and indigenous organizations including the National Indigenous Foundation (FUNAI).
His career has been subject to investigations and prosecutions linked to corruption scandals including Operation Car Wash and accusations involving executives at Petrobras and contractors engaged in public works projects. Convictions issued in lower courts were later reviewed by the Supreme Federal Court, and debates unfolded in legal arenas such as the Superior Court of Justice and electoral tribunals like the Superior Electoral Court (Brazil). Political opponents included figures such as Sérgio Moro and Jair Bolsonaro, while supporters pointed to rulings overturning convictions and to international reactions from organizations like Amnesty International and human rights scholars from universities including the University of São Paulo.