Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Fast Facts
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been a global figure since his election in the first round of the Brazilian presidential elections on August 7, 2002. As Brazil’s oldest president, he holds a unique position as the longest serving non-dictatorial office-holder in the democratic world.
A short biography of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was born on May 20, 1930 in a small town named Ilhéus in the state of Minas Gerais. He was one of six children raised by his mother. His father, Luiz Fernando da Silva Lula, worked in his father’s fruit plantation and his mother worked as a housekeeper to support the family.
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva grew up in a family of humble beginnings with the support of his parents and grandmother. He graduated from Ilhéus High School in 1946 and attended the University of Brasília, where he later earned a degree in law. There, he was able to study law under the guidance of a professor of the university, Carlos Heitor Percovich. During his years in college, Lula took a leadership position in political organizations such as the Coordination of Student Organizations (COE), which paved the way for his future career as an activist.
As Lula was a student at the University of Brasília, he was contacted by a communist sympathizer, who asked him to start a communist movement in the city. Lula accepted the offer and created a communist group known as O Clube de Juventude. Despite his efforts, the communist group was a failure mainly due to the fact that people rejected their ideas of revolution. The communist movement was disbanded by the authorities. Lula’s political activity continued during his time at University of the Federal District, where he was involved in the student council and participated in the creation of a new student newspaper, which became