The 2026 elections only have a single woman pre-candidacy, so far, Planalto Palace. Samara Martins competes for the UP (Popular Unity Party) in a scenario dominated by men, like the current president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and the senator Flavio Bolsonaro (PL), identified by polls as the two favorites in the race for the Presidency.
The was announced in February and is part of a strategy to expand the acronym’s national presence on . The decision was taken by the party’s National Directory, which chose to launch its own name in the presidential contest.
According to UP, Samara’s campaign will have a “socialist and anti-imperialist” character, focusing on tackling issues such as social inequality, the environment and the environment.
Who is Samara Martins?
Samara Martins is 38 years old and was born in Belo Horizonte, capital of Minas Gerais. She is a dentist at SUS, national vice-president of UP, and also works in the collectives Movimento de Mulheres Olga Benário and Frente Negra Revolucionária.
On social media, she defines herself as “the mirror of the Brazilian woman” for being the mother of two boys and for “divided between home, struggle and work”.
Samara began her political career in student movements. She worked at AMES-BH (Metropolitan Association of Secondary Students of Greater BH) and was director of women at UNE (National Union of Students). In 2022, the pre-candidate also ran for President as vice-president of the ticket with Leo Péricles (UP), the only candidate that year made up exclusively of black people.
