Key facts
- Lula finished nearly 2 percentage points behind Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil's presidential election first round.
- Approximately 2.2 million votes separated Lula and Bolsonaro.
- Lula's campaign is targeting the record 33 million voters who abstained.
- The campaign plans to build a network of left-leaning influencers for a social media push.
- Lula, 80, does not carry a phone and criticizes screen culture.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's campaign is undergoing a significant overhaul in its communication strategy ahead of the presidential runoff election on October 25. Following a first-round defeat to Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the campaign aims to re-engage millions of abstaining voters and younger demographics by focusing on the potential risks of a Bolsonaro presidency to social programs.
Lula finished nearly 2 percentage points, or about 2.2 million votes, behind the right-wing senator in Sunday's vote, positioning the three-term leftist as the underdog. Allies met in Brasilia on Monday to regroup and plan a rebrand, with Lula pushing an internal "fear strategy" to remind voters of the risks he says a Bolsonaro presidency would pose to popular social benefits.
Sources close to the campaign suggest Lula blames the current messaging for failing to reach young people and women. Some party figures have pointed to social communications minister Sidonio Palmeira and his business partner Raul Rebelo, who runs the campaign's messaging, for focusing on themes like sovereignty and critical minerals, including a TV ad devoted to rare earths. Rebelo is staying for now, but strategist Otavio Antunes is expected to join the national team.
The Workers' Party is targeting the more than 9 million voters who backed minor candidates, but primarily the record 33 million who abstained, attributing the low turnout to apathy rather than opposition to Lula. A new social media ad warns that "some losses can't be undone," depicting government programs like those sending doctors to remote areas and pension increases blowing away. Bolsonaro's press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He has pledged to maintain Bolsa Familia, Brazil's flagship cash-transfer program.
With less than three weeks until the runoff, campaign coordinator Paulo Okamoto stated the campaign would build a network of left-leaning influencers to bolster its social media efforts. However, Lula himself may present an obstacle; the 80-year-old president does not carry a phone and has criticized screen culture. While he promised to increase social videos, which he calls "selfies," Lula also indicated a desire for more radio interviews before the runoff.