As of: 07/21/2022 9:55 p.m
The Brazilian Workers’ Party has nominated former head of state Lula as a candidate for the presidential election. This is the sixth time that the politician, who has since been imprisoned, is standing in the election.
Former Brazilian head of state Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been nominated as his party’s candidate around two and a half months before the presidential election. The candidacy was accepted unanimously, according to a statement from the Workers’ Party (PT) after a meeting in São Paulo. The candidate for the office of vice president is the former governor of the state of São Paulo and former Lula rival Geraldo Alckmin.
According to polls, left-wing politician Lula is currently ahead of right-wing populist incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. He is to be nominated on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro as his party’s candidate for the October 2nd election. Parties and alliances have until August 15 to register their candidates with the Supreme Electoral Court. From August 16, the election campaign is officially allowed.
Corruption and money laundering convictions
It would be Lula’s sixth presidential race. He won twice and ruled Brazil from early 2003 to late 2010. Lula, who rose from being a poor boy from the Northeast to being president of Latin America’s largest country, lifted millions out of poverty with social programs. Brazil also boomed economically during his tenure. However, corruption also continued to spread in the region’s largest economy.
In 2018, Lula herself was sentenced to prison for corruption and money laundering. The popular politician was therefore unable to take part in the 2018 presidential election, which Bolsonaro won. Last year, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling and Lula regained his political rights.