Brazil polls: President Lula da Silva has first smartphone at 80, but can he catch up with Brazil's digital generation?

Just days before his 81st birthday, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received a new smartphone — reportedly his first ever — as he stepped up his efforts to connect with voters via social media ahead of the closely watched presidential race.

“I’m becoming the king of selfies, a real user of the Internet,” Lula told supporters at a recent rally in Brasilia, signaling a shift in how the veteran leftist leader approaches political campaigning.

As reported by Reuters, Lula’s smartphone debut comes at a time when social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and WhatsApp are increasingly shaping Brazil’s political landscape.

The ability to build a large online following and translate digital influence into votes has become a powerful electoral asset, especially for younger candidates.

For Lulu, who has spent decades building his political identity through unions, grassroots mobilization and mass rallies, adapting to this new environment could prove crucial as he seeks an unprecedented fourth presidential term.

Brazil’s political battle is moving online

The growing influence of digital campaigning was evident in congressional elections that ran alongside the first round of the presidential election this month. Several younger candidates with strong social media followings did exceptionally well, according to the report.

Lula’s opponent in the second round is right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Flávio, 45, reaches out to voters through his own YouTube channel and has emerged as a formidable challenger after winning the first round, surprising pollsters, Reuters reported.

Read also | Who is Flávio Bolsonaro, son of the ex-president, challenging Lula in Brazil?

Lula is learning the social media game

Lula, a former shoeshine boy who later became a metalworker, union leader and internationally recognized left-wing politician, first ran for president in 1989. His political communication has historically relied on personal connections with workers, grassroots organizations and supporters at large public rallies.

Ana Elisa Silva, a 21-year-old law student from Minas Gerais, joined Lula’s inner circle to help him navigate the social media landscape after his disappointing first round, according to a Reuters report.

Silva told Reuters the transition required an adjustment for a politician who has openly admitted to not liking mobile phones.

“The experience remains important, but it needs to be in line with changes in the way people consume information, especially young people.”

Read also | Brazil poll: Lula vs Bolsonaro – How the next leader could shape relations with the US and China

The rise of “influencer politics”

The growing importance of politicians who have built their own digital audiences means another evolution in election campaigns, according to Máximo Zaldívar, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.

Politicians once reached out to social media personalities to support their campaigns. Increasingly, however, candidates themselves are building audiences and political influence through their online content.

“An influencer has their own political capital,” Zaldívar said, referring to the following information accumulated across platforms. “That’s what they bring to the table and no politician can compete with that.”

Ferreira exemplifies this trend. A staunch Bolsonaro supporter and the son of an evangelical pastor, he has nearly 25 million followers on Instagram — equivalent to more than 10% of Brazil’s population.

Conservative lawmaker Julia Zanatta, 41, who has more than a million followers on Instagram and received more than half a million votes in this year’s election, said success on social media requires consistency and a willingness to communicate without dwelling too much on criticism.

“I never thought about whether I would reach more people or if I wouldn’t please someone,” she said, according to Reuters.

With information from Reuters.