At 80, President Lula Seeks Fourth Term, Highlights Foreign Interference
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Brazil’s current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has once again put himself forward for a fourth presidential term. At the age of 80, he has officially begun his campaign to retain the presidency in October’s general election.
Quoting Al Jazeera on Monday (3/8/2026), Lula has made rejection of foreign interference the central message of his campaign, reaffirming his commitment to safeguarding Brazil’s sovereignty.
Speaking before thousands of Workers’ Party supporters who packed a convention centre in São Paulo on Sunday local time, Lula even promised that, if re-elected, this would be his final term in office.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening national defences, including protecting Brazil’s rare earth and strategic mineral reserves from foreign control.
Major powers such as China, the United States and France would not gain access to Brazil’s mineral wealth without respecting the country’s sovereignty. He also rejected any form of outside intervention in Brazil’s domestic affairs.
“I want to be prepared so that no one invades this country,” Lula said.
“In Brazil, we do not accept anyone meddling in matters that are not their business,” he stated.
The remarks came amid rising tensions between Brazil and the United States after Washington imposed two rounds of tariffs on Brazilian products in July. The Brazilian government has rejected accusations of unfair trade practices used to justify the measures.
Meanwhile, Lula renewed his attack on Flávio Bolsonaro, another presidential candidate from the Liberal Party. He highlighted the closeness of the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro to US President Donald Trump, even calling Flávio a “traitor to the nation”.
Leonardo Paz, a professor of political science at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, believes the sovereignty issue is a sound strategy for Lula. According to him, the narrative allows Lula to present external threats as one of the factors shaping Brazil’s current situation.
“This sovereignty message is emerging at just the right moment for Lula,” Paz said.
The latest Datafolha poll shows Lula still ahead in a second-round simulation against Flávio, with electability at 48% versus 43%. Even so, the race is expected to remain tight given the intense political polarisation in Brazil.
On the domestic front, Lula still faces challenges in the form of a high cost of living, concerns over the budget deficit, and security problems caused by organised crime groups. Several corruption investigations targeting figures from both political camps are also expected to become campaign issues in the run-up to October’s election.