The President of Brazil, Lula, celebrated his 81st birthday today, pledging to work 24 hours a day following his surprise re-election to a fourth term and his victory over conservative senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
Lula’s commitment for his new term in office
“I want to make a commitment: to deliver the best presidential term of any president in the history of this country,” said Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a video posted on Instagram, titled: “81 years of gratitude to God and the people of Brazil.” “I will dedicate 24 hours a day to making this country everything that everyone dreams of,” he pledged. Having finished behind his rival in the first round, Lula leaned heavily on social media to turn the tide against the son of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro.
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The electoral comeback, the role of youth & his response to criticism over his age
Having finished behind his opponent in the first round, Lula relied heavily on social media to reverse the result against the son of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro. On Sunday, he defied the polls, securing re-election with nearly 52% of the vote. In his victory speech, he highlighted the contribution of a revolutionary generation of young people who rose up to defend democracy. Responding to criticism questioning his ability to govern due to his age, Lula regularly posts videos on social media showing himself working out. In recent months, he has frequently worn a Panama-style hat following his diagnosis with skin cancer. The Workers’ Party called on supporters to celebrate his birthday today outside the presidential residence in Brasília.
