Last Updated:

2024-02-02 02:54:01

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Brazilian politician and current President of Brazil.

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Brazilian politician and current President of Brazil.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, also known as Lula, is a Brazilian politician and the 39th President of Brazil. A former metalworker and trade unionist, he led workers' strikes and co-founded the Workers' Party. Lula served as president from 2003 to 2010, implementing social welfare programs and economic reforms. Despite facing scandals, he remains a popular figure in Brazilian politics.

Ulisses Correia e Silva Jair Bolsonaro João Lourenço Luis Hamilton Alex Pereira Anderson Silva Hugo Chávez António Guterres Luis Suárez Barack Obama

1945-10-27

Birth of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, also known as Lula, was born on October 27, 1945. He is a prominent Brazilian politician who served as the 35th and 39th president of Brazil.

1960

Luiz Inácio da Silva's First Formal Job

In 1960, at the age of 14, Lula got his first formal job in a warehouse. This marked the beginning of his work experience.

1971

Death of Luiz Inácio da Silva's First Wife and Son

In 1971, Lula's first wife, Maria de Lourdes, died of hepatitis while pregnant with their first son, who also passed away. This was a tragic event in Lula's personal life.

1975

Election as President of the Steel Workers' Union

In 1975, Lula was elected as the president of the Steel Workers' Union of São Bernardo do Campo and Diadema, which played a crucial role in his union career.

1978

Death of Luiz Inácio da Silva's Father

Luiz Inácio da Silva's father passed away in 1978 due to alcoholism. This event had a significant impact on Lula's personal life.

1980-02-10

Founding of the Workers' Party

On 10 February 1980, Luiz Inácio da Silva, along with other leaders, founded the Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) or Workers' Party, a left-wing party with progressive ideas.

1982

Addition of the Nickname Lula

In 1982, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva added the nickname Lula to his legal name.

1983

Founding of Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT)

In 1983, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva helped found the Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT) union association.

1984

Participation in Diretas Já! Campaign

In 1984, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Workers' Party (PT) joined the popular Diretas Já! (Direct [Elections] Now!) campaign, demanding a direct popular vote for the next Brazilian presidential election.

1989

First Democratic Elections for President

In 1989, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ran as the PT candidate in the first democratic elections for president since 1960.

1994

Defeat in Presidential Election

In 1994, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was defeated by Fernando Henrique Cardoso in the presidential election.

1998

Defeat in Presidential Election

In 1998, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was defeated by Fernando Henrique Cardoso in the presidential election.

2002-10-06

First Round of the 2002 Election

Lula led the field in the first round of the 2002 election with a nearly two-to-one margin over PSDB candidate José Serra, marking a significant step in becoming Brazil's first leftist president following the fall of the military dictatorship.

2003

Introduction of Growth Acceleration Program (PAC)

The Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) was introduced as the main investment program of the Lula administration, with a total budget of 646 billion reais ($367 billion) by 2010. It aimed to strengthen Brazil's infrastructure, stimulate the private sector, and create more jobs.

2005

Brazil paid off its debt to the IMF in full

In late 2005, Lula's government paid off its debt to the IMF in full, two years ahead of schedule, achieving a satisfactory primary budget surplus as required by the IMF agreement.

2006-10-29

Runoff of the 2006 General Elections

Lula won the runoff of the 2006 general elections by a substantial margin over the PSDB's Geraldo Alckmin, solidifying his position as the president of Brazil.

2007

Announcement of the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC)

Lula's government announced the Growth Acceleration Program (Programa de Aceleração de Crescimento, PAC), an investment program to solve many of the problems that prevented the Brazilian economy from expanding more rapidly.

2008

Rio de Janeiro awarded the 2016 Summer Olympics

Under Lula, Brazil became the world's eighth-largest economy, more than 20 million people rose out of acute poverty, and Rio de Janeiro was awarded the 2016 Summer Olympics, the first time the Games will be held in South America.

2009-03

Statement on the Great Recession

Before a G-20 summit in London in March 2009, Lula caused an uproar by declaring that the economic crisis was caused by 'the irrational behavior of white people with blue eyes, who before seemed to know everything, and now have shown they don't know anything.'

2010-05

UN World Food Programme (WFP) Award

In May 2010, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) awarded Lula da Silva the title of 'World Champion in the Fight against Hunger' for his efforts in reducing child malnutrition during his first term.

2011-10-29

Lula's Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

On 29 October 2011, it was announced that Lula had a malignant tumor in his larynx. He underwent chemotherapy and radiation, and the cancer went into remission. He announced his recovery in March 2012 and his return to politics.

2012

Four Freedoms Award

In 2012, Lula received the Four Freedoms Award.

2014

Operation Car Wash

Brazil began Operação Lava Jato (Operation Car Wash) in 2014, resulting in several arrests and convictions, including nine suits against Lula.

2015-04

Investigation into Influence Peddling by Lula

In April 2015, the Public Ministry of Brazil opened an investigation into allegations of influence peddling by Lula, involving lobbying for government contracts in foreign countries and persuading the Brazilian Development Bank to finance projects for the Odebrecht company.

2015-06

Arrest of Marcelo Odebrecht

In June 2015, Marcelo Odebrecht, president of Odebrecht, was arrested on charges of paying politicians $230 million in bribes, along with three other company executives and the chief executive of Andrade Gutierrez.

2016-03-04

Raid on Lula's Home

On 4 March 2016, Brazilian authorities raided Lula's home as part of 'Operation Car Wash' and detained him for questioning regarding alleged illegal bribes from the oil company Petrobras to benefit his political party and presidential campaign.

2016-03-16

Appointment of Lula as Chief of Staff

On 16 March 2016, Rousseff appointed Lula as her chief of staff, a move that would have shielded him from arrest due to the immunity that went with the position, but was later suspended by Supreme Court Judge Gilmar Mendes.

2016-07-28

Lula's Petition to UN's Human Rights Committee

On 28 July 2016, Lula filed a 39-page petition with the UN's Human Rights Committee outlining alleged abuses of power, making it the first ever case taken against Brazil which ratified the committee's protocol in 2009.

2016-09-14

Corruption Charges Against Lula

On 14 September 2016, prosecutors filed corruption charges against Lula, accusing him of being the mastermind of a corruption scheme.

2017-02-02

Death of Marisa Letícia Rocco Casa

Marisa Letícia Rocco Casa, Lula's wife of 43 years, passed away on 2 February 2017 after suffering a stroke. This was a significant loss for Lula.

2017-05-11

Questioning by Judge Sergio Moro

On 11 May 2017, Lula was questioned by Judge Sergio Moro in a closed-court hearing that lasted five hours, as part of the corruption probe.

2017-07-12

Sentencing of Lula

On 12 July 2017, Sergio Moro sentenced Lula to nine and a half years in prison for accepting bribes and other charges, although he remained free pending his appeal.

2017-08-05

Official Nomination of Lula as Workers' Party Candidate

The Workers' Party officially nominated Lula as its candidate for the 2018 presidential election in São Paulo. Former São Paulo mayor Fernando Haddad was named as Lula's running mate.

2017-10-05

Filing of Another Document in Geneva, Switzerland

On 5 October 2017, another document was filed in Geneva, Switzerland, reporting additional facts related to Lula's case, such as Judge Moro's attendance at the premiere of a film that depicted former President Lula as guilty.

2018-01-25

Guilty Verdict by Appeal Court

On 25 January 2018, the Appeal Court of Porto Alegre found Lula guilty of corruption and money laundering, increasing his sentence to 12 years in prison for one of the nine charges.

2018-04-05

Denial of Habeas Corpus Petition

On 5 April 2018, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court voted to deny Lula's habeas corpus petition, leading to his imprisonment and sparking protests across Brazil.

2018-04-06

Lula's Appeal to UN's Human Rights Committee

On 6 April 2018, Lula appealed to the UN's Human Rights Committee to ask the government to prevent his arrest until he had exhausted all appeals. He argued that the Brazilian Supreme Court's narrow adoption of its ruling showed the need for an independent court to examine if the presumption of innocence was violated in his case.

2018-05-28

Formal Investigation Initiated by the UN Human Rights Committee

On 28 May 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee initiated a formal investigation into violations against basic judicial guarantees in Lula's case.

2018-07-08

Release Order of Lula by Judge Rogério Favreto

On 8 July 2018, federal judge Rogério Favreto ordered the release of Lula. However, the ruling was overturned the same day by Judge Pedro Gebran Neto.

2018-08-02

Pope Francis Meeting with Lula's Former Allies

On 2 August 2018, Pope Francis received three former allies of Lula in Rome and was given a copy of Lula's biography. Later, he addressed a handwritten note to Lula, asking for his prayers.

2018-08-15

Lula da Silva announces candidacy

On August 15, 2018, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a former president of Brazil, submitted the necessary paperwork to register as the Workers’ Party candidate to run against Bolsonaro. Lula da Silva campaigned from prison, where he was serving a 12-year sentence for corruption.

2018-08-17

UN Human Rights Committee Ruling

The UN Human Rights Committee ruled that it had requested the Brazilian government to allow Lula to exercise his political rights, considering him as a political prisoner.

2018-08-31

Denial of Lula's Candidacy by Superior Electoral Court

The Superior Electoral Court voted to bar Lula from running in the 2018 presidential race, denying his candidacy.

2019-06-09

The Intercept's Publication of Leaked Telegram Messages

On 9 June 2019, The Intercept published leaked Telegram messages between the judge in Lula's case, Sergio Moro, and the Operation Car Wash lead prosecutor, Deltan Dallagnol, alleging conspiracy to convict Lula. This led to accusations of lack of impartiality in Lula's trial.

2019-11-08

Lula's Release from Prison

On 8 November 2019, Lula was released from prison after 580 days when the Brazilian Supreme Court ended mandatory imprisonment of convicted criminals after their first appeal failed.

2021-01-21

Lula's COVID-19 Diagnosis

On 21 January 2021, Lula tested positive for COVID-19 while participating in the filming of an Oliver Stone documentary in Cuba. He did not need hospital admission and was able to recover.

2021-03-08

Judge Edson Fachin Annulled Convictions Against Lula

On 8 March 2021, Judge Edson Fachin of the Supreme Federal Court annulled all convictions against Lula, ruling that the court in Curitiba which convicted him lacked jurisdiction to do so, and ordered a retrial in Brasilia.

2021-06-21

Acquittal of Lula in Operation Zelotes

Judge Frederico Botelho de Barros Viana of the 10th Federal Court of Brasilia acquitted Lula and others accused in the Operation Zelotes, stating that the prosecution could not convincingly demonstrate their involvement in a criminal conspiracy.

2022-05-18

Marriage of Luiz Inácio da Silva and Rosângela da Silva

Lula married Rosângela da Silva, also known as Janja, on 18 May 2022. This event marked a new chapter in Lula's personal life.

2022-10-02

First Round of 2022 Election

Lula was in first place with 48.43% of the electorate, qualifying for the second round with Bolsonaro, who received 43.20% of the votes.

2022-10-30

Election of Lula in the Second Round of 2022 Election

Lula was elected in the second round, becoming the first president of Brazil elected to three terms and the first to unseat an incumbent president.

2023-01-01

Sworn in as President

At the age of 77, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was sworn in as the oldest Brazilian president at the time of inauguration on January 1, 2023.

2023-01-08

Attack on Praça dos Três Poderes

A week after being sworn in, the Praça dos Três Poderes was attacked in an invasion led by pro-Bolsonaro rioters. Lula condemned the attack.

2023-09-01

Presentation of Major Plan to Eradicate Hunger

At the beginning of September, Lula presented a major plan to eradicate hunger in Brazil, including measures to prevent wastage, increase budget for school meals, and support family farms. These measures are part of a broader policy to address food insecurity and raise the minimum wage and other social benefits.

2023-10-07

Lula's Condemnation of Hamas Attack on Israel

Lula condemned the Hamas attack on Israel carried out on 7 October 2023.

2023-10-11

Lula's Call for Ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas War

Lula called for a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war, stating it was 'urgently needed in defense of Israeli and Palestinian children'.

2023-10-25

Lula's Statement on Israel–Hamas War

Lula stated, 'It's not a war, it's a genocide.'

End of the Timeline
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva