Lula criticizes 2026 campaign organization amid electoral shifts

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has criticized the organization of his 2026 first-round presidential campaign, describing it as the least organized of all his electoral contests since 1989. During a meeting with allies, including campaign coordinator Edinho Silva, Lula stated that the campaign performance fell short of his potential and acknowledged that the team could have done more.

Internal criticism within the Workers' Party (PT) has targeted Edinho Silva's leadership and the strategies adopted during the first round.

Electoral data reveals a shift in geographic support compared to 2022. Lula saw a decline in leadership across small municipalities, losing control of 365 towns with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants. Conversely, Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party (PL) expanded his presence in the interior, increasing his lead in municipalities with up to 100,000 inhabitants. The president's losses were most notable in the South of Brazil.