JAKARTA, Indonesia — Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who will celebrate his 80th birthday next week, has officially announced his intention to run for a fourth term in the 2026 presidential elections. The declaration came during a joint press conference with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta, where Lula is on a state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations.
‘I’m about to turn 80, but I assure you, I have the same vigor I had at 30. I will run for a fourth term in Brazil,’ Lula stated confidently. He emphasized the importance of Indonesia as a strategic partner, describing it as a fellow emerging economic power with shared global perspectives. ‘We’ll see each other many times in the future,’ he told Subianto, hinting at continued collaboration.
Lula’s announcement follows months of speculation about his political ambitions. Despite undergoing emergency surgery in December 2023 to address a brain hemorrhage caused by a fall, the veteran leader appears undeterred. His political journey has been marked by dramatic highs and lows: after serving two terms from 2003 to 2010, he was imprisoned in 2018 on corruption charges, which were later overturned. In 2022, he staged a remarkable comeback, narrowly defeating right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a deeply polarizing election.
Bolsonaro’s subsequent political downfall has left Brazil’s conservative electorate without a clear leader for the 2026 race. Recently sentenced to 27 years in prison for a failed coup attempt following his election loss, Bolsonaro remains under house arrest, with his legal team racing to appeal the verdict. As Brazil navigates this turbulent political landscape, Lula’s candidacy signals a continuation of his enduring influence on the nation’s politics.