Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula)

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) is the current President of Brazil. A veteran politician with a background as a metalworker and union leader, he has previously served as president. He is newsworthy due to his active role in international diplomacy, domestic policy decisions, and the cultural impact of his presidency. Recently, Lula stated Brazil's desire to avoid a "new Cold War" ahead of a meeting with the US President. He also oversaw a rare earths deal with India to build resilient supply chains. Domestically, Lula vetoed a bill that would have reduced the prison sentence of his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted of plotting a coup. His presidency was also featured prominently in Rio Carnival, with both a tribute and a float depicting him, though the latter came last in the competition. A bus crash on a Brazilian highway, unrelated to Lula directly, also occurred during this period.