Key facts
- A WhatsApp channel called 'Lula's Army' gained 10.8 million followers.
- The channel was led by Congressman André Janones.
- Lula credited Janones with boosting campaign morale.
A WhatsApp channel named 'Lula's Army' is being credited by allies of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with helping to secure his re-election victory in Brazil. The channel rapidly amassed 10.8 million followers, encouraging supporters to share campaign materials and recruit voters, a significant development in a country where conservative online mobilization had previously been seen as dominant.
Led by Congressman André Janones, the operation aimed to boost Lula's visibility on social media during the final weeks of the campaign. Janones frequently issued specific instructions to followers, and even hosted a 24-hour 'turnaround livestream' on the eve of the election. Lula himself referred to Janones as 'our General' in his victory speech, acknowledging his contribution to campaign morale.
While Lula's allies attribute the comeback partly to this digital effort, political scientists caution that measuring the precise electoral impact of online mobilization is difficult. They suggest the victory was a combination of effective digital campaigning and intensified grassroots mobilization, with Lula adapting his strategy and messaging to connect with voters on both fronts.