Brazilian President Lula gets his first smartphone before second round — Dawn

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received a new smartphone a few days before his 81st birthday. His former aides said it was the politician's first smartphone.

An attempt to work more actively online

At a rally in Brasília, Lula told supporters that he was becoming the “king of selfies” and a genuine internet user. As Dawn reports, this indicates his intention to make better use of social media during the election campaign.

The outlet notes that Lula's decision to use a smartphone may indicate an attempt to catch up with the Brazilian electorate, a significant portion of which spends time online. The second round of Brazil's presidential election is due to take place on Sunday.

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Young candidates and social media

TikTok, Instagram and WhatsApp have become important platforms in Brazilian politics. During the parliamentary elections, held simultaneously with the first round of the presidential race this month, several young candidates who actively used social media were successful.

Right-wing Liberal Party representatives Nikolas Ferreira, 30, and Lucas Pavanato, 28, each won more than 3 million votes in their respective races. Among the elected left-wing candidates, 33-year-old Erika Hilton and 21-year-old Ana Elisa Silva each received more than half a million votes. Lula, who first ran for president in 1989, is seeking an unprecedented fourth presidential term.