Brazilian lawmaker André Janones shared updates on President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s trip to Turkey through the “Lula Army” WhatsApp channel. (Foto: Instagram)
Brazilian lawmaker André Janones is using the “Lula Army” WhatsApp channel to share glimpses of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s trip to Turkey. Janones is traveling with Lula, First Lady Janja Lula da Silva and government ministers as the president heads to Antalya for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP31.
Janones, a federal deputy from Minas Gerais, manages the channel, which he created during Lula’s successful reelection campaign. It is designed to bring the president closer to his audience and uses a more informal tone than the government’s official communications channel. The “Lula Army” channel has more than 10 million followers, according to its published description.
On Monday, Nov. 9, Janones posted a selfie with Janja and a photo of Lula seated aboard the presidential plane. He also used the channel to report the delegation’s arrival and provide updates on the president’s schedule. Janones said a brief livestream with Lula might take place at the end of the day to discuss Brazil’s expectations for COP31.
“Today has been filled with internal meetings and preparations for tomorrow,” Janones wrote. “It’s possible that, at the end of the day, the president and I will do a short livestream about expectations for Brazil’s participation at COP. Keep an eye on the channel; we’ll keep you updated firsthand. This is our army’s first international mission, and you will be very important in this process.”
Janones has said he intends to keep using the channel to engage left-leaning voters and put pressure on Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies and Senate on issues important to the federal government. Since the election, the channel has also shared material about Lula and Janones.
His social media activity has led to invitations to discuss strategies for defeating political opponents in countries including Spain and Argentina. The “Lula Army” concept has also inspired similar initiatives among left-wing groups in France, Spain and Argentina.
