His Excellency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva |
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35th President of Brazil | |
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 |
Chief of Staff of the Presidency | |
In office 17 March 2016 – 18 March 2016 |
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President | Dilma Rousseff |
Preceded by | Jaques Wagner |
Succeeded by | Eva Chiavon (Acting) |
Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |
In office 1 February 1987 – 1 February 1991 |
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Constituency | São Paulo |
President of the Workers' Party | |
In office 10 February 1980 – 24 January 1994 |
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Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Rui Falcão |
Personal details | |
Born |
Luiz Inácio da Silva 27 October 1945 Caetés, Pernambuco, Brazil |
Nationality | Brazilian |
Political party | Workers' Party |
Spouse(s) |
Maria de Lurdes da Silva (m. 1969; d. 1971) Marisa Letícia Rocco Casa (m. 1974; d. 2017) |
Children | 5 |
Residence | São Bernardo do Campo |
Education | National Service for Industrial Training |
Occupation | Metalworker, trade unionist |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Signature | |
Website | Lula Institute |
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (born 27 October 1945), known simply as Lula, is a Brazilian politician who served as President of Brazil from 1 January 2003 to 1 January 2011. He is a founding member of the Workers' Party (PT – Partido dos Trabalhadores) and ran for president three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election, then again in 1994 and 1998. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as president on 1 January 2003. In the 2006 election he was elected for a second term as president, which ended on 31 December 2010. Succeeded by his former Chief of Staff, Dilma Rousseff, he left an enduring mark on Brazilian politics in the form of Lulism.
He is often regarded as one of the most popular politicians in the history of Brazil and, at the time of his mandate, one of the most popular in the world. Social programs like Bolsa Família and Fome Zero are hallmarks of his time in office. Lula played a prominent role in recent international relations developments, including the nuclear program of Iran and global warming, and was described as "a man with audacious ambitions to alter the balance of power among nations." He was featured in Time's The 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2010, and Perry Anderson called him "the most successful politician of his time." In October 2011, Lula—who was a smoker for 40 years—was diagnosed with throat cancer and quickly started chemotherapy treatment. Since the cancer was found, he has successfully recovered and has since resumed his roles.