Last dance? Inside Lula's strategy to win a fourth presidency in Brazil

Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 80, is set to return to the May 1 Stadium in Sao Bernardo do Campo, where his political career began, to launch a campaign for an unprecedented fourth term as president. The 47-year-old venue, where Lula first addressed striking metalworkers in 1979, has come to symbolize a democratic awakening in defiance of Brazil's military dictatorship. Lula, who has won three presidential terms, is facing concerns over crime and the economy in his push for a fourth. Brazilian society has changed significantly since Lula's days on the picket line. A conservative wave has swept over South America, with right-wing candidates winning elections in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru over the last 12 months. The US administration of President Donald Trump has offered backing to right-wing leaders across the Western Hemisphere. Trump recently shared an article on social media describing Brazil's upcoming presidential vote as a 'next major test' in his 'making the Americas great again' project. However, analysts warn that the right-wing sweep is driven by anti-incumbency and domestic factors rather than a region-wide ideological shift. Leonardo Paz, a political science professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, notes that electorates across South America have displayed a hunger for change amid anger over crime and economic struggles.