Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva indicated on Friday that he is considering running in 2026 for a fourth term, although he did not make an official declaration of candidacy.
“Prepare yourselves. If all goes according to my plans, this nation will, for the first time ever, have four times a president elected by the Brazilian people,” Lula said at an event in Rio de Janeiro.
The 79-year-old president, who was returned to office for a third non-consecutive term in 2022, had been president between 2003 and 2010. If he decides to seek office once more and is elected, Lula would be the first Brazilian president to win four elections.
His remarks came amidst sliding approval ratings and increasing political setbacks. Public discontent is swelling due to recurring inflation in the region’s largest economy, with Lula’s government also having difficulty assembling a cohesive governing coalition in a fractured Congress.
Aside from political pressure, Lula also has personal health issues to deal with. He had two emergency operations last year for cranial bleeding treatment and prevention. Already close to 80, he is Brazil’s oldest president ever to serve.
Although no official campaign has started, Lula’s words have indicated that a fourth presidential bid still resides firmly in his mind.