Origin: Lula Launches Fourth Term Campaign

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 80, formally launched his reelection bid at the Workers’ Party convention in São Paulo. Delegates approved the ticket with Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, repeating their 2022 pairing. Lula told supporters that if he wins in October, it will be his final term.

His speech centered on national sovereignty after new U.S. tariffs and open courting of his opponent by foreign allies. He called for more defense spending and vowed to protect Brazil’s rare earths and other strategic minerals, saying “neither the Chinese, nor the Americans, nor the French” will touch them without respecting Brazil. “I want to be prepared so that no one invades this country,” he said.

Lula addressed concerns about his age by saying he is “in great shape” and trains daily. He cast his main rival, 45-year-old Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, as aligned with outside interests and has labeled him a “traitor to the nation.”

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources