Brazil’s left adopted the right’s playbook to secure Lula’s win

Brazilian leftists used a coordinated WhatsApp campaign called "Lula's Army" to help President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva win reelection on October 25, reversing his first-round defeat to right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Congressman André Janones led the channel, which grew from 50,000 to nearly 11 million followers in three weeks, issuing daily "missions" like posting hashtags, sharing videos, and recruiting voters. Analysts credit this digital mobilization, which mirrored the right's tactics, as fundamental to Lula's comeback. The strategy raised concerns about misinformation, including an AI-manipulated image of soccer star Ronaldo, and a court briefly suspended the group. Volunteers like Veridiana Cunha reported exhaustion but satisfaction, with one saying she "managed to change a vote."