The WhatsApp ‘general’ behind Lula’s election comeback in Brazil

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Brazilian congressman Andre Janones played a prominent role in Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s election comeback by helping drive a large WhatsApp-based campaign in the final weeks of the presidential runoff. Lula celebrated his victory in Sao Paulo on Sunday, publicly thanking Janones and describing him as “our general” for his work mobilising supporters online.

According to the report, Janones centered his effort on a WhatsApp channel called Exercito do Lula, or “Lula’s Army.” It had roughly 60,000 followers after the first round of voting, then expanded to almost 11 million subscribers by election day. The channel sent frequent one-way messages assigning supporters simple tasks such as sharing videos, recruiting others and amplifying hashtags. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera said the approach relied on urgency, memes and what they described as a gamified style of political organising.

The article says Janones had also helped with Lula’s 2022 digital campaign and was known for a style that borrowed tactics often associated with Brazil’s right-wing online politics. The report also notes that Lula’s broader campaign adjusted its messaging, presenting the president’s working-class background in a more personal and relatable way after a difficult first round.

Al Jazeera says it is hard to prove that the WhatsApp network directly delivered votes, but the strategy is seen by observers as part of the broader turnaround that helped Lula regain momentum against the right. The piece adds that the episode highlights how digital campaigning, especially on WhatsApp, continues to shape Brazilian elections.