In the campaign for re-election, the president (PT) is considering adopting an “anti-system” discourse, targeting mainly the financial market, to replace the idea of ”reconstruction” — propagated since the beginning of his term, but considered electorally weak by those around him.
If put into practice, the plan will open a dispute with Bolsonarism over what the “system” is. The expression is often used by the former president (PL) and allies to negatively portray the country’s political and judicial elite and other sectors with which they come into conflict.
In Lula’s case, the “system” will be referring to large financial market operators and billionaires opposed to income distribution. Also to privileged sectors of society, such as economic groups that defend their own tax benefits and partners of organized crime in money laundering schemes.
Cases like these were investigated in recent police operations such as Carbono Oculto – in an effort to also dispute the public security agenda, which is expected to be one of the main themes of the election.
This way of expressing himself studied by Lula would be, at least in part, a new way of propagating criticism of the economic elite present in the president’s speeches for decades. They would also intend to weaken the speeches against the “system” that their opponents usually make.
Names on the right usually classify the PT member as a representative of this “system”.
This Thursday (29), one reinforced this trend by using the case of to emphasize its criticisms of the financial market, although without using the word “system”.
“Financial scandals, such as Banco Master and others, which expose corruption and promiscuity between part of the market and organized crime […] reveal that the ongoing dispute is structural”, states the text.
In his public speeches, the tendency is for Lula to reinforce messages that associate the term “system” with billionaires. The speech follows a line also adopted in government policies in the economic area over the last year.
Especially in 2025, the management invested in actions that sought popular appeal and that affected what Lula usually calls “upstairs”, such as the taxation of the super-rich, made official with the sanction of exemption for those earning up to R$5,000.
The change in positioning is supported by at least two ministers from Palácio do Planalto, Sidônio Palmeira (Communication Secretariat) and Guilherme Boulos (General Secretariat).
In published in SheetLula’s head of communications has already made use of this speech.
“This centuries-old project of inequality is not easily reversed. Those who benefit from it inherited privileges and want to pass them on to the next generations. By taking sides and supporting the system, the Brazilian government took on the challenge of a new project for the country and faced adversities,” he wrote.
According to people familiar with the discussion, two other ministers recommend caution in approaching the topic, Rui Costa (Civil House) and Gleisi Hoffmann (Institutional Relations), both from PT. In Gleisi’s case, the disagreement would not be with the idea itself. Responsible for political articulation, the minister tries to minimize the friction that this speech can cause with representatives of the private sector in Congress.
To date, the idea of promoting a clash against the “system” is seen most frequently in speeches and positions taken by members of the right in the country. In 2022, for example, Bolsonaro’s campaign aired a video stating that the then president had governed against the “system”.
“The system is an invisible enemy,” the piece stated. Then, the word was associated with corruption, opponents like Lula and former minister José Dirceu, urban violence, taxes and the press.
Boulos says the right’s anti-system speech is a fraud. “We live in a capitalist system. Its representatives are the banks, the corporations, the big techs. And the right walks and has always walked hand in hand with them.”
The minister says that the government defends taxing billionaires and banks. “We want an end to the 6×1 scale, against the interests of corporations. The line is clear, they are with the billionaires, we are on the side of the majority of the people. They are the system,” he stated.
The PT’s Communications Secretary, Éden Valadares, says that the rise of far-right political forces has made people see change in the political and economic system on the right. He states that, in fact, these political groups would be a reaction to transformations.
“What the PT and the president do is dot the i’s again. Those who defend the system of privileges for the powerful are the right and Bolsonarism. The left and President Lula want zero tariffs, zero income tax and taxation of the super-rich”, he declared.
After spending more than half of his third term with the slogan “Union and Reconstruction”, Lula’s communication re-evaluated the slogan and decided on it last August.
The possibility of the president reinforcing a tone against privileges is associated with the attempt to advance, in the first half of 2026, projects with popular appeal, such as the end of the 6×1 work schedule.
Other actions by the Lula government would also be included in this package, such as the Gás do Povo, Reforma Casa Brasil programs and the changes that.
Lula appointed Boulos to travel around the country publicizing the management’s actions and claiming merit for the measures from the federal executive. He will make the trips as part of the Government of Brazil on the Street program, which will promote joint efforts of federal government services across the states.
The actions of the Federal Police in investigating the financial scandal in the case should also be explored in the possible discourse against the “system”. The case was during the inauguration event of the new Minister of Justice, when the president gave clues about the possible new tone of his speeches.
