# Five key facts about Lula


By [rom](https://paragraph.com/@rom) · 2022-10-02

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*   76 years old
    
*   left-wing
    
*   former metal worker
    
*   was president from 2003-2010
    
*   imprisoned in 2018 but conviction was later thrown out
    

Lula was not able to run in the last election in 2018 because he was in jail and barred from standing for office.

His Workers' Party colleague, Fernando Haddad, did not have the same name recognition and failed to inspire left-wing voters in the way Lula does.

Amid widespread discontent with mainstream politics and anger at corruption scandals which had tainted the Workers' Party, far-right lawmaker and former army captain Jair Bolsonaro was swept into office.

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*Originally published on [rom](https://paragraph.com/@rom/five-key-facts-about-lula)*