Lula speeds up deliveries with an eye on electoral calendar restrictions

Keeping an eye on the restrictions imposed by the electoral period, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) has sought to accelerate the delivery schedule across the country.

The strategy seeks to expand the dissemination of federal actions before the start of legal limitations for institutional advertising and participation of public agents in events linked to government promotion during the electoral calendar.

As of July 4th, three months before the first round of elections, stricter restrictions set out in legislation will come into force to prevent the use of public machinery for the benefit of candidates during the election.

During this period, public agents are prevented, for example, from carrying out certain forms of institutional advertising, inaugurations with personal promotion and advertisements that could influence the electorate. The rules aim to ensure greater balance in the electoral dispute and prevent undue advantages to candidates linked to incumbent governments.

Until then, Lula's pre-campaign, which has the public machine in hand and is seeking re-election to the Palácio do Planalto, is trying to anticipate and guarantee the publicity of measures with electoral potential.

As CNN showed, the president has announced, on average, one delivery every three days in 2026. In general, the agendas are focused on the social, health and infrastructure areas.

Lula prioritizes Flávio's stronghold
This Saturday (30), Lula returns to Rio de Janeiro to launch the Tela Brasil platform, free public streaming of Brazilian productions. The event is scheduled to take place in Cidade das Artes.

The project became one of the priorities of Lula's third term and is part of the policy for reviving the audiovisual sector. Government interlocutors claim that Brazilian Oscar nominations are seen as a strategic "hook" for the launch, amid the moment of international projection for Brazilian cinema.

The initial idea was to announce the platform on a date closer to the Oscars, but, according to sources at Palácio do Planalto, the schedule was postponed due to steps considered complex, which involve everything from technical issues of the platform, licensing of the works and even the president's own agenda.

This will be Lula's seventh trip to the state of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (RJ), PL's pre-candidate for President. It is also Lula's sixth visit to the capital of Rio de Janeiro in this election year, which makes Rio de Janeiro the most visited capital by the PT member in 2026.

The last visit to Rio took place last week, when Lula made announcements in the area of health, at Fiocruz.

PT's allies claim that the Presidency's institutional agenda is not subject to electoral interference. Still, they recognize that the frequency of advertisements and deliveries in the state can strengthen the president's image in future polls.

On the other hand, members of the PL of Rio de Janeiro assess that there is no chance of Lula winning in the state and that the frequency of trips by the PT member to the capital is of no concern to Flávio's campaign.

According to sources heard by CNN, the PT's objectives in Rio include improving Lula's performance, boosting the candidacy of Eduardo Paes (PSD) for the Rio de Janeiro government, electing Benedita da Silva (PT) to the Senate and expanding the party's bench in the Chamber of Deputies.

The expectation of PT leaders is to increase the number of federal deputies elected by the party in Rio from six to nine, an increase of 50% in relation to the current group.

In the most recent Genial/Quaest survey, Eduardo Paes appears with a wide advantage in the first and second round scenarios for the government of Rio de Janeiro.

In a possible second round, Paes has 49% of voting intentions, against 16% of the pre-candidate for government for the PL, Douglas Ruas. Undecided respondents account for 16% of those surveyed, while blanks and null respondents account for 19%.

Regarding this gap for Lula's candidate in the polls, PL sources expect the 2018 scenario to be repeated in 2026, when Paes lost to Wilson Witzel (DC) in the second round.

On the other hand, President Lula still appears behind Flávio Bolsonaro in the polls. According to the Genial/Quaest survey, the senator has 45% of voting intentions, against 32% for the president in the state.

Lula's campaign aims to reverse this scenario, increasing the wear and tear on Flávio and Bolsonarism, while expanding the president's platform in Rio.

Agenda in the Northeast
On Friday (29), Lula completed an agenda in the state of Sergipe, where he made deliveries in the health sector. In an electoral tone, the president said that the population needs support equal to what the head of the Executive receives.

In his speeches, Lula also took the opportunity to comment on the United States' decision to classify the PCC (Primeiro Comando Capital) and CV (Comando Vermelho) as terrorists.

Lula on Flávio: No shame in asking the US for intervention | BEHIND THE SCENES CNN

Source: CNN