« Je suis prêt, je suis motivé, je suis en bonne santé », a déclaré Lula, 76 ans, lors d’une conférence de presse à Bruxelles, tout en répétant qu’il ne prendra sa décision de qudé finé ‘Next year.

Speaking to the media in the European Parliament, Lula sharply criticized his far-right successor: “Bolsonaro is a bad version of (former US President) Trump. But he does not believe, he has no idea”, content to “destroy” the legacy of the Lula years, denouncing the former trade unionist.

The official announcement of Lula’s candidacy has been eagerly awaited since he regained his eligibility after a Supreme Court ruling that overturned his conviction for bribery due to procedural errors in March. He described the measure again on Monday as “persecution”.

If the former unionist presents himself, it will be his sixth presidential race, to try to run for a third term, after he led the country from 2003 to 2010.

We need someone to stand up, we have to win the election. “Brazil must be rebuilt,” said Lula, who is on a European tour passing through Brussels, as well as Berlin, Paris and Madrid.

“In February or March, I will decide whether or not to attend. It will depend on the party’s decision to choose me or not,” he added, referring to his Labor party.

According to the latest survey by the Datafolha benchmark institute, dated September 17, Lula received 44% of the vote in the first round of elections, compared to 26% who strongly criticized Bolsonaro for his handling of the pandemic.

During his eight years in office, Lula benefited from favorable economic conditions. With commodities booming, he was able to institute ambitious social programs that lifted 30 million Brazilians out of poverty, earning him record popularity.