Lula and Bolsonaro pivot to gender violence as Brazil’s presidential race intensifies
As Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro launch their campaigns in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro respectively, both leaders centre their appeals on combating femicide, though their strategies diverge on foreign policy and trade.
Brazilian presidential candidates Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro have officially inaugurated their campaigns in their respective political strongholds, positioning the fight against gender-based violence as a central pillar of their platforms ahead of the October 4 election. With women comprising nearly 53 per cent of the country’s 158 million eligible voters, both contenders are seeking to secure the female vote by addressing a public security crisis that has seen femicide rates reach historic highs.
President Lula addressed more than 10,000 supporters at the Vila Euclides Stadium outside Sao Paulo, the city where he rose to political prominence 47 years ago as a metalworkers’ union leader during the military dictatorship. The 80-year-old president, who is seeking his fourth nonconsecutive term, insisted that Brazil requires a continuation of his policies and emphasised national sovereignty over natural resources. He stated that Brazil’s vast reserves of rare minerals would be exploited for the benefit of the Brazilian people, rejecting external control.
Lula’s campaign has been marked by allegations of foreign interference, specifically targeting the United States. His allies have accused the US government of attempting to bolster Flavio Bolsonaro’s bid through economic pressure, including raising tariffs on Brazilian exports and revoking the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to Washington. Lula denounced these actions, framing them as attempts to undermine Brazilian sovereignty while promising to launch a detailed platform within 10 days that includes education initiatives and stricter laws to punish violence against women.
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, aged 45, rallied supporters on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, did not attend the event as he remains under house arrest following his conviction for an attempted coup. Flavio Bolsonaro highlighted his potential to secure international trade deals, arguing he is the only candidate capable of negotiating with major powers including the United States, China, Israel, India, and Argentina. His campaign has received support from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of the Trump administration, while Argentina’s President Javier Milei attended his party convention.
The focus on gender violence comes as Brazil registers nearly 400 femicides in the first quarter of 2026, the highest number for the period since tracking began 11 years ago. Although femicide was reclassified in 2024 from an aggravated form of homicide to a separate crime punishable by 20 to 40 years in prison, the trend has not abated. Lula, accompanied by First Lady Rosangela da Silva, argued that men must learn equality from childhood, while Bolsonaro also pledged to combat violence against women, standing with his mother and wife at the Rio rally.
