Squats, Sweat & A Fourth Term Bid: Brazil’s Lula Adds Fitness Push To Poll Campaign Trail

Last Updated:April 13, 2026, 23:32 IST

In the videos, the 80-year-old leader can be seen exercising at the gym, jogging, and even boxing, in an apparent effort to highlight his physical fitness.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is livestreaming his physical workout sessions to demonstrate his fitness as he campaigns for a historic fourth term ahead of Brazil’s October election.

In the videos, the 80-year-old leader can be seen exercising at the gym, jogging, and even boxing, in an apparent effort to highlight his physical fitness and counter concerns about his age, The Guardian reported.

In one recent livestream, Brazil’s First Lady Rosângela da Silva showed Lula performing squats during an early morning session, saying he had already completed 45 minutes on the treadmill after arriving at the gym at 6am.

“My husband has been here since 6am. He’s already done 45 minutes on the treadmill," Janja boasts as she ambushes the perspiring president with her phone.

Allies of the president have amplified such footage in recent weeks, portraying him as energetic and fit as he seeks another term. Lula, who has been active in politics since the late 1980s, is contesting his seventh presidential election.

“Lula’s a gym rat. This man is in great shape to carry on taking care of Brazil until 2030," one wrote approvingly on X.

Other videos have shown Lula jogging through the capital, Brasília, and the presidential palace, pumping iron and using a leg extension machine while offering fitness tips. In campaign videos, Lula has also used his platform to promote healthy living. “We can’t stop the passage of time, but we can take care of our health," he said in one clip.

His main challenger is expected to be Flávio Bolsonaro, a 44-year-old senator and son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro is positioning himself as a younger and more moderate alternative in the race.

The contrast in age and fitness has emerged as a key theme in the campaign. Lula’s supporters have highlighted his active routine, while also pointing to past health concerns of his rival, including an incident where Flávio Bolsonaro fainted during a televised debate in 2016.

Last month Flávio Bolsonaro compared 80-year-old Lula to a clapped-out Chevrolet, to which Lula replied that his rival’s imprisoned father was a Chevrolet in the chop shop.

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