Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
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Official portrait, 2023
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| 35th & 39th President of Brazil | |
| Assumed office 1 January 2023 |
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| Vice President | Geraldo Alckmin |
| Preceded by | Jair Bolsonaro |
| In office 1 January 2003 – 1 January 2011 |
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| Vice President | José Alencar |
| Preceded by | Fernando Henrique Cardoso |
| Succeeded by | Dilma Rousseff |
| National President of the Workers' Party | |
| In office 15 July 1990 – 24 January 1994 |
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| Preceded by | Luiz Gushiken |
| Succeeded by | Rui Falcão |
| In office 9 August 1980 – 17 January 1988 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Olívio Dutra |
| Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office 27 March 1989 – 1 February 1991 |
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| Constituency | São Paulo |
| In office 1 February 1987 – 25 February 1989 |
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| Constituency | São Paulo |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Luiz Inácio da Silva
27 October 1945 Garanhuns, Pernambuco, Brazil |
| Political party | PT (since 1980) |
| Other political affiliations |
FE Brasil (since 2022) |
| Spouses |
Maria de Lourdes Ribeiro
(m. 1969; died 1971)Rosângela da Silva
(m. 2022) |
| Children | 5 |
| Residence | Palácio da Alvorada |
| Education | National Service for Industrial Training |
| Occupation | Metalworker, trade unionist |
| Signature |  |
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (born Luiz Inácio da Silva; 27 October 1945), often called Lula, is a Brazilian politician. He is currently the 39th president of Brazil. He also served as the 35th president from 2003 to 2010.
During his first time as president, Lula started important social programs. These programs, like Bolsa Família and Fome Zero, helped many people. They worked to reduce poverty in Brazil. He also played a big part in international talks. This included discussions on climate change and reducing deforestation in the Amazons.
After leaving office, Lula was very popular. Many people saw him as one of Brazil's best presidents. He faced some legal challenges later on. However, these issues were later cleared. He ran for president again in 2022 and won. He became president for a second time in 2023.
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Early Life and Education
Luiz Inácio da Silva was born in Caetés, Pernambuco, Brazil. His family was very poor. He did not learn to read until he was ten years old. He left school after the second grade to work. This helped his family financially.
He trained to be a metalworker at the National Service for Industrial Training. At 19, he lost a finger in a work accident. This event made him more involved in workers' rights.
Becoming a Union Leader
Lula joined the labour movement while working. In 1975, he was elected president of the Steel Workers' Union. He was re-elected in 1978.
In the late 1970s, Brazil was under military rule. Lula helped organize big strikes for workers' rights. He was even jailed for a month because these strikes were seen as illegal. After the military rule ended, he received a lifetime pension.
Starting a Political Career
On 10 February 1980, Lula helped create the Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT). This is also known as the Workers' Party. He became the party's national president that same year. He held this role until 1988. In 1982, he officially added "Lula" to his name.
In 1987, he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies. As a deputy, he helped write Brazil's new constitution. This constitution was made after the military rule ended. He also focused on land reform and fixing the country's debt. He chose not to run for re-election in 1990.
First Attempts at Presidency
Lula first ran for President of Brazil in 1989. He lost that election. He ran again in 1994 and 1998, but lost both times.
First Time as President (2003-2011)
In 2002, Lula was elected President of Brazil. He won by a large number of votes. He was re-elected in 2006, winning by a large margin again.
As president, Lula started a housing program. This program aimed to help people in poverty get homes. During his first term, child hunger in Brazil went down by 46%. In 2010, the UN World Food Programme gave him an award. They called him a "World Champion in the Fight against Hunger."
Lula also worked to improve Brazil's economy. He helped reduce the country's debt. This made Brazil's economy strong again. Foreign banks started investing in Brazil. His second term focused on the environment. He created programs to protect indigenous lands. He also worked to stop deforestation in the Amazons.
However, his second term had some controversies. There was a situation involving his party, the Workers' Party. It was said that some members had offered support to pass laws. Despite this, when he left office, Lula was very popular. Many people called him Brazil's most popular president.
Return to Politics
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In 2017, Lula announced he would run for president again in the 2018 election. His campaign faced some challenges. There were incidents where his campaign bus was attacked. Even so, he was seen as the favorite to win.
Lula faced legal issues that prevented him from running. In 2021, these issues were cleared. The Supreme Court of Brazil overturned the previous decisions.
Second Time as President (2023–present)
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In May 2021, Lula said he would run for a third term. This was for the October 2022 general election. He ran against the current President, Jair Bolsonaro. Polls showed he was ahead of Bolsonaro.
In April 2022, Lula announced his running mate. It was Geraldo Alckmin, who had run against Lula in 2006. On 2 October, Lula won the first round of voting. He then won the second round on 30 October. He became the first president of Brazil elected for three terms. He was sworn in on 1 January 2023.
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Lula has promised to rebuild Brazil's economy. He also wants to strengthen democracy and fight poverty. Education and housing programs are also important goals.
Helping Brazil's People
In March 2023, Lula brought back the Bolsa Família program. This program helps about 60 million Brazilians who are struggling with poverty. Experts believe it will lower Brazil's poverty rate.
In August 2023, Lula announced a huge investment plan. It includes over $350 billion for new projects. This money will go to housing, energy, and transportation. It will also fund new schools and hospitals. The goal is to boost the economy and create jobs.
In September, he presented a plan to end hunger. Many Brazilians do not have enough to eat. He set up food banks to prevent waste. He also increased funding for school meals. These actions are part of a bigger plan to help people.
Brazil's economy grew in 2023. This was more than expected. Reasons for this include lower inflation and good harvests.
Protecting the Environment
During his campaign, Lula promised to stop illegal logging. In 2004, he had a plan to reduce deforestation in the Amazon. This plan helped reduce deforestation by 83% between 2004 and 2012. Lula has brought this plan back. He aims for zero illegal deforestation by 2030.
The plan includes ways to create a sustainable economy in the Amazon. This means using resources wisely. In the first seven months of 2023, deforestation in the Amazon fell by 42%. By November 2023, it had decreased by 59% compared to the previous year.
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Lula also promised to recognize new indigenous reserves. Six of these were recognized by May 2023. Lula and US President Joe Biden are working together on this issue. Biden has pledged money to the The Amazon Fund. This fund helps stop deforestation.
Personal Life
Lula has been married three times. His first wife, Maria de Lurdes Ribeiro, passed away in 1971. He then married Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva in 1974. She passed away in 2017. In 2022, he married Rosângela da Silva. Lula has five children.
Health
In 2011, Lula was diagnosed with throat cancer. He received treatment and made a full recovery.
Awards and Recognition
Lula has received many awards for his work.
- In 2008, he received the UNESCO Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize.
- In 2012, he was given the Four Freedoms Award.
He has also received many honors from Brazil and other countries. These include:
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil)
- Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (Algeria)
- Knight of the Order of the Elephant (Denmark)
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysantemum (Japan)
- Knight of the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (United Kingdom)
In Movies and TV
A 2009 Brazilian film called Lula, Son of Brazil tells the story of Lula's early life. The Netflix series The Mechanism features a character inspired by Lula. The 2019 documentary The Edge of Democracy also covers Lula's political journey.
See also
In Spanish: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva para niños
