This is Lula country. Still.
Brazil's Northeast, the country's poorest region, remains an enthusiastic hotbed of support for its native son Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who as president from 2003 to 2010 oversaw a historic improvement in living standards that was most pronounced here.
Even though economic boom turned to bust under Lula's chosen successor Dilma Rousseff, even though Lula himself was ensnared in the “Car Wash” corruption scandal, even though Lula has been in jail on corruption charges since April, and even though Brazilian law stipulates that convicts cannot run for higher office, half of Northeasterners say they would vote for Lula again if given the chance.
A June poll by Datafolha showed that, if Lula were a candidate, he would win 30 percent of the vote nationally – good enough for first place. In the Northeast, Lula's support jumps to 49 percent – compared to 23 percent in the wealthier Southeast, home to the big metropolises of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
While Lula's enduring popularity may be baffling to the more urbane set, people here speak not only in terms of popular social programs like Bolsa Familia, or the other ways their lives improved in the 2000s. They also argue that whatever sins Lula committed pale in comparison to other politicians, including current President Michel Temer – the only Brazilian leader ever to be charged with a crime while in office.
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