Lula Outlines Strategic Campaign Route with Focus on Southeast and Northeast

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is implementing a strategic travel roadmap for the first round of elections, prioritizing the Southeast and Northeast regions. As part of this strategy, the president is avoiding states where candidates for governor are competing for his support, specifically Pernambuco and Maranhão. In Pernambuco, the campaign is resisting requests for a visit due to a dispute between João Campos and Raquel Lyra. In Maranhão, the decision follows a rupture between the PT and Governor Carlos Brandão's group. The campaign is also weighing a potential visit to Paraíba to navigate a complex Senate race. Confirmed visits include Bahia, Ceará, Piauí, Alagoas, and Sergipe in the Northeast, as well as Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro in the Southeast. In the South, Lula plans to visit Porto Alegre, Santa Catarina, and Paraná to reduce his disadvantage against Flávio Bolsonaro. A visit to Manaus is planned as a presidential agenda item. On Friday, September 28, Lula is scheduled to hold a campaign event in Salvador, Bahia. This visit aims to boost the re-election bid of Governor Jerônimo Rodrigues and prevent voters from splitting their tickets by supporting Lula for president and ACM Neto for governor. The event will take place in the Liberdade neighborhood to emphasize proximity to the popular electorate. While center-leaning coverage focuses on the broad national logistics and the strategic avoidance of disputed states, center-right coverage emphasizes the specific electoral pressure in Bahia and the challenge of transferring Lula's high presidential popularity to the gubernatorial race.