In Brazil, former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, aged 76, the leading figure in the October elections, tied the knot with sociologist Rosângela da Silva, aged 55, in a discreet ceremony held on a Wednesday night in Sao Paulo. The event unfolded in one of the city’s premier and most refined event venues, coming less than half a year before the vote, a moment anticipated to be intensely polarized between Lula and his principal challenger, Jair Bolsonaro. The impression left by those close to the couple was simple: love prevailed.
Local media reported that the guest list hovered around 150 attendees, with figures from politics and the arts among those invited. Attendees were asked not to use mobile devices to protect the privacy of the moment. Among the guests was Geraldo Alckmin, the former governor of Sao Paulo and a longtime liberal politician who is Lula’s vice-presidential running mate for the October 2 election. Photos circulating on social networks showed singer-songwriter Gilberto Gil, a former Culture Minister and a towering figure in Brazilian Popular Music, also in attendance.
EFE described how a few onlookers who gathered outside the venue made remarks both in favor of and against the former president as vehicles passed through the building’s entrance.
The PT leader, who governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010, is entering marriage for the third time. Rosângela da Silva, known popularly as “Janja,” is 21 years younger and has been alongside Lula since his 580 days in prison during 2018–2019. A sociology graduate from the Federal University of Paraná, Janja has been associated with the PT since its early days, a party Lula has led since its inception in 1980. Her influence stretches across Lula’s public life, and she is often seen accompanying many major appearances. The couple’s bond has been described as a stabilizing force amid a high-stakes political season.
Moments before the ceremony, Lula posted a message online that read, “No one is happier than me and you. Today is the day to celebrate our love. May the wind protect us and keep all evil away from us.” Janja uses social media to share her unwavering support for Lula. At the May 7 launch of Lula’s campaign, Janja presented a reprint of the iconic 1989 campaign jingle that became a landmark in the Brazilian left’s history, a keepsake Lula and his supporters still cherish.
Lula remains the frontrunner in October’s presidential race according to most public surveys, with pollsters placing him around the mid-40s in terms of voting intention. Bolsonaro, meanwhile, has managed to close the gap in several recent poll iterations, underscoring a competitive, closely watched electoral landscape across the country.
Before Janja, Lula’s personal life included time with María de Lourdes and Marisa Leticia Rocco. Both relationships ended with the passing of his spouses; María de Lourdes died in 1969, and Marisa Leticia Rocco, his partner for 43 years, died in 2017 after suffering a stroke. These chapters have shaped Lula’s public image as he navigates a campaign focused on social programs, economic policy, and the future direction of Brazil’s democratic institutions.