# Lula administration social and environmental policies

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/lula-administration-social-and-environmental-policies
> Updated: 2026-08-08T15:31:44.000Z. Sources: 64. Developments: 2.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has taken steps to support social movements and address housing and environmental issues. In São Paulo, Lula signed a decree expropriating 115 hectares of Atlantic Forest in the Perus district to establish a land reform settlement for 55 families of the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST).

The expropriated land, now known as the Comuna da Terra Irmã Alberta, was previously slated for a landfill by the state sanitation company Sabesp. The area is noted for preserving native vegetation and water sources; residents currently engage in agroecological farming, producing approximately 10 tons of food annually while operating a cooperative, school, and health unit.

Expanding on social and environmental policy, Lula announced targets for the Minha Casa, Minha Vida program, aiming to reach 3 million contracted housing units by December 2026. Regarding the environment, the administration reported a 36.87% decrease in Amazon deforestation between August 2025 and July 2026, which the President intended to use to counter international criticism.

In the lead-up to the 2026 elections, the administration has continued its engagement with social movements. Minister Guilherme Boulos recently participated in an event celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Homeless Workers Movement (MTST) alongside President Lula and First Lady Janja Lula da Silva. During the event, Boulos framed the upcoming elections as a struggle for national sovereignty against foreign interests.

Lula also plans to present official data from the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) to U.S. President Donald Trump. The data, showing a 36.87% decrease in Amazon deforestation between August 2025 and July 2026—the lowest rate since 2016—is intended to challenge U.S. justifications for imposing tariffs on Brazilian products based on environmental concerns.

## Claims

- Tarcísio de Freitas and Fernando Haddad participated in a debate for the São Paulo governorship. (corroborated by 13 sources)
- The debate was organized by Band. (corroborated by 8 sources)
- A GloboNews cameraman allegedly struck a Brasil de Fato reporter with a headbutt prior to the debate. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- Tarcísio de Freitas leads in voter intentions for the first round. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The debate covered topics including public security, privatizations, and the relationship between the state and federal government. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- São Paulo expanded its hospital bed capacity by 8,400 since the start of his term, including 14 new hospitals. (single source)
- São Paulo's elective surgery rate is 32%, which is 10 percentage points below the national average of 48%. (single source)
- São Paulo's municipal debt is 14% of its net current revenue. (single source)
- Haddad criticized the state's elective surgery rate as being below the national average. (single source)
- GloboNews dismissed the cameraman involved in the physical altercation. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-08: Tarcísio de Freitas and Fernando Haddad face off in São Paulo gubernatorial debate

Tarcísio de Freitas and Fernando Haddad faced off in the first São Paulo gubernatorial debate on Band, discussing security and health. A GloboNews cameraman was dismissed after allegedly striking a reporter.

58 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lula-praises-tax-reform-and-criticizes-banking-bureaucracy

### 2026-07-31: Brazil's Lula signs decree to convert São Paulo site into MST land reform settlement

President Lula signed a decree expropriating 115 ha in Perus, São Paulo, to create an MST land‑reform settlement for 55 families, turning a former landfill site into the Comuna da Terra Irmã Alberta.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazils-lula-signs-decree-to-convert-so-paulo-site-into-mst-land-reform-settlement

---
Cite as: Lula administration social and environmental policies. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/lula-administration-social-and-environmental-policies