Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has announced his\ncandidacy for re-election in the October polls. Lula, who is running for\na fourth term at the age of 80, insisted he is in \u2018prime condition\u2019.<\/p>\n
Lula\u2019s decision to run again was announced on Sunday local time, as\npressure from the administration of US President Donald Trump looms over\nhis campaign. A major figure of the Latin American left, Lula is seeking\na fourth and final term, with his campaign positioning him as a reliable\nleader in turbulent times and a bulwark against the global rise of the\nfar-right.<\/p>\n
Although Trump was not mentioned by name at the Workers\u2019 Party (PT)\nconvention in Sao Paulo, Lula and other prominent left-wing figures\nheavily emphasised the theme of protecting Brazil\u2019s sovereignty from\nexternal threats, amid trade and diplomatic disputes with the US. \u2018I\nwant to prepare so that no one invades this country,\u2019 Lula said in his\nconvention speech, calling for increased investment in defence.<\/p>\n
Lula, a former metalworker and union leader, made a dramatic comeback\nto power three years ago after a series of corruption convictions were\noverturned, following his earlier presidency from 2003 to 2010. In his\nspeech, Lula asserted that stamina and an exercise routine have kept his\nphysical condition \u2018in prime shape\u2019. \u2018I want to fight ageing. I don\u2019t\nwant to walk with a shuffle,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
Brazil\u2019s constitution allows a president to serve two consecutive\nterms. After a break, they can run again, with no lifetime limit on the\nnumber of terms. Lula added that he would not run for president again\nafter a fourth term, as he and his wife, Rosangela, 59, plan to \u2018go on\nholiday to focus on their romance for the next 20 years\u2019.<\/p>\n
Lula is a figure who inspires both deep affection and strong dislike\nin almost equal measure in Brazil, and he won his last election by a\nvery narrow margin against his rival, former President Jair Bolsonaro.\nIn the upcoming election, Lula will face Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest\nson of Jair Bolsonaro, who has taken up the mantle after his father was\nfound guilty by a court of plotting a coup. The Bolsonaro family is\nallied with Trump, who has recently backed right-wing candidates winning\nelections in Latin America.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/at-80-brazils-president-lula-seeks-fourth-term-1785736406", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }