André Janones credited with driving Lula da Silva's election victory

Brazilian Deputy André Janones has been identified as a key figure in Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's successful presidential reelection campaign. Janones, who is not a member of the Workers' Party (PT), took charge of the digital strategy following the first round of voting, where Lula trailed the right-wing candidate.

Janones utilized WhatsApp to build a massive digital presence, creating a channel known as ‘El ejército de Lula’ (Lula's Army) that grew from 60,000 to nearly 11 million followers in a short period. This strategy, sometimes referred to as ‘janonismo,’ focused on mobilizing followers to trend on social media, counter opposition narratives, and respond to accusations directly.

Former Colombian President Gustavo Petro praised Janones on social media, calling him the ‘genius behind Lula's victory’ and highlighting the effectiveness of the WhatsApp mobilization against automated bot campaigns. In response, Janones expressed his commitment to joining forces with the global left and Colombia to combat far-right movements in Latin America.