SAO PAULO — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launched his bid for reelection at age 80 by publicizing a daily treadmill routine as part of his 2026 campaign. The president, who has advocated for exercise since his 2022 campaign, maintained a workout regimen throughout his 580 days in prison and frequently played soccer during his first two presidential terms. "I want to live 120 years," Lula said.

His main rival in the 2026 presidential election, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, has mocked Lula by comparing him to an old Chevrolet Opala. Flávio Bolsonaro has also shared videos of himself running short races to meetings and dancing on stage. Jair Bolsonaro anointed his son as a presidential candidate in December while in prison.

Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University, linked Lula's fitness messaging to the 2024 U.S. presidential race, in which Joe Biden withdrew over questions about his health and age. "He is doing this to steer away from the Joe Biden effect," Melo said. He also described the exchange between the two campaigns as a contest over perception. "Flávio Bolsonaro is trying to say he is actually the young one. This is a game of image," Melo said.

Political consultant Felipe Soutello said the age issue would be deployed by Lula's opponents. "The opposition will use a certain ageism, a little prejudice against older generations, as a tool to hurt the president's performance," Soutello said.

Voters above age 60 represent one fourth of Brazil's electorate. According to researcher Nexus, citing figures of Brazil's top electoral court, the number of Brazilians over age 60 eligible to vote grew from 20.8 million in 2010 to 36.2 million in March 2026. "They have more political weight than the young people," he said.