The photo of the president () with his North American counterpart, , had a record number of views and engagement on the PT member’s social networks, according to a survey by Quaest.
There were 72 million views, 778 thousand mentions, 22 million likes and 7.5 million shares on Instagram, X, Tik-Tok and Facebook, according to the consultancy.
The image surpassed in viewing and engagement that of Lula in swim trunks, which had set the record until then. Published in August 2021, the photo in which the PT member hugs the first lady, Rosângela da Silva, went viral. Both were taken by photographer Ricardo Stuckert and posted on the president’s networks.
For comparison, the photo of Lula in swim trunks, hugging Janja, in 2021, had 65 million views, 4.6 million mentions, 19 million likes and 7 million shares.
The survey was carried out using the QuaestScan tool, which maps images and audio on the internet. Interactions made between October 21st and 27th were measured.
Lula shared the image with Trump on Sunday (26) on his profiles. In it, the PT member and the Republican appear smiling and shaking hands, with US and Brazilian flags in the background.
Quaest also evaluated internet users’ feelings about the meeting between the two. Of the total, 54% of the public made neutral comments, while 26% made positive comments, and 20% negative.
The record number of views “is a clear example of politics as an image”, assesses the director of Quaest, Felipe Nunes. “The smile, the posture, the handshake, everything is symbolic,” he says.
“It’s the result of the war of narratives. The right trying to promote the mention of [o ex-presidente Jair] Bolsonaro. The left trying to celebrate the turnaround. Most watching.”
Lula and Trump in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The two participate in the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit.
They also had a bilateral meeting lasting around 50 minutes to discuss the tariffs imposed by the US on Brazil.
In a statement to journalists after the meeting, Trump left open the possibility of “working on agreements”.
“Regarding the tariffs imposed on Brazil, I think everything is fair. I have a lot of respect for your president, I have a lot of respect for Brazil,” he said.
According to the Brazilian, the agenda to be discussed with the USA will be “long”.
“When two presidents sit at a table and express their point of view, the natural tendency is to reach an agreement,” said Lula.
This Tuesday (8), Trump wished Lula a happy birthday when talking about the chance of reaching an agreement to reduce tariffs in Brazil.
