Organized by the University of Brasília’s Central Student Directorate, with the support of the National Union of Students, the drive brought together young people and social organizations for a day of support for the Workers’ Party (PT) candidate, just 11 days before the election runoff.

  Key demands from the “Students for Democracy” group included ending the “6×1” work schedule (six days of work followed by one day of rest), ensuring the continuation of social programs, defending the Unified Health System (SUS), and opposing privatization.

  The event also highlighted the impact of policies essing access to higher education. Ana Luiza Moraes, a 20-year-old nursing student from the administrative region of Sobradinho, told Agencia Brasil that she was able to reach this level of education thanks to the “University for All” Program.

  Moraes noted that she is the first person in her family to attend university; her story showed the significance some participants place on public initiatives for educational inclusion and the expansion of opportunities for lower-income sectors.

  Other demonstrators expressed concern regarding the rights of women, Black people, and the LGBT community, while advocating for youth participation in the country’s political life.

  The Brasilia mobilization is part of a series of events organized by the president’s supporters in various Brazilian cities following the October 4 first round of voting, in which Lula trailed Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party candidate.

  The incumbent’s campaign, seeking to reverse that result ahead of the October 25 runoff, has garnered support in various cities—including at a massive rally on Avenida Paulista in Sao Paulo, on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, and in Salvador, the capital of Bahia state. jdt/otf/mar