Brazil's main presidential candidates, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, officially kicked off their campaigns on Sunday in their political strongholds ahead of what is anticipated to be a tight October election.
Lula addressed over 10,000 supporters at the Vila Euclides Stadium outside Sao Paulo, a city where he gained prominence 47 years ago as a metalworkers union leader during Brazil's military dictatorship. Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former conservative President Jair Bolsonaro, held a rally with thousands of voters on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently under house arrest following a conviction related to an attempted coup, did not attend his son's event.
Sunday marked the first day candidates were legally permitted to campaign in Brazil.
President Lula reiterated his stance against foreign interference in Brazil's elections. His allies have previously accused the U.S. government of attempting to influence the election in favor of Bolsonaro through measures such as increasing tariffs on Brazilian exports and revoking the visa of Brazil's ambassador to Washington.
Regarding Brazil's substantial rare mineral reserves, Lula stated, “no one (abroad) will tap our minerals. We are going to tap them for the benefit of the Brazilian people.” Lula, who is seeking his fourth nonconsecutive term, and Bolsonaro are both aiming to attract women voters, who constitute nearly 53% of Brazil's 158 million eligible voters, according to the country's electoral court.
"Men need to learn from childhood that they are no better than women. We need to be equal,” Lula said, with first lady Rosângela da Silva, a key speaker at his event, by his side. Lula indicated he would unveil his platform within the next 10 days, including specific policies designed to benefit women, such as educational initiatives and measures to prevent and prosecute violence against women.
Flávio Bolsonaro, accompanied by his mother and wife, also pledged to combat violence against women. He vowed to fight crime and to eliminate what he described as left-wing "ideology" from Brazilian schools, stating that every student "has the right to dream of being Elon Musk someday."
Earlier in the day, Bolsonaro, 45, claimed in a live broadcast that he had received 1,800 death threats, though he provided no evidence. He also noted that he was wearing a bulletproof vest during his campaign appearance. His father, Jair Bolsonaro, was stabbed during his 2018 presidential campaign, sustaining serious internal injuries.
Jair Bolsonaro selected his son to represent the Liberal Party against Lula. The younger Bolsonaro's campaign has encountered challenges since its inception, with moderate political parties maintaining distance. Flávio Bolsonaro, who physically resembles his father, has attempted to establish his own political identity, drawing a comparison to the late soccer star Pelé: "I know I look like him. But it is hard to compare Pelé’s son with Pelé."