Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is officially pushing for a fourth term in next year’s election, aiming to stretch his already extraordinary political journey even further.

Once a metalworker and union leader, Lula made a comeback in 2023 by defeating far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Now nearing 80, he remains the dominant force on Brazil’s left, a role he’s held for decades. If he wins again, he’ll wrap up his fourth term at age 85, setting a record as Brazil’s longest-serving democratically elected leader with 16 years in office.

Some Brazilians worry about Lula’s age, especially after watching US President Joe Biden’s faltering 2024 re-election run. But Lula’s political savvy and deep roots in the country’s history give him an edge.

Lula’s first political campaign was way back in 1989, and his rise from humble beginnings to Brazil’s first working-class president in 2002 is legendary. The right wing in Brazil is currently fractured following Bolsonaro’s 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup to block Lula’s return to power. With Bolsonaro out of the picture, his followers scramble for leadership, but Lula remains a favourite in the polls.

His chances improved after a bungled attempt by the Trump administration to shield Bolsonaro through heavy tariffs and sanctions backfired, actually boosting Lula’s popularity.

Trump recently called Lula “a very nice man,” and the two leaders are set to meet this weekend in Malaysia, which is enough proof that even fierce rivals can find common ground.