Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra becomes Lula's digital campaign 'weapon'

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva used a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra to expand his social media campaign after a setback in the first round of Brazil’s presidential election. His camp launched the Lula’s Army WhatsApp channel after the Oct. 4 vote, and Lula pledged to join it. In a video posted on X on Oct. 21, he called the phone “the weapon of our army.”

The Lula’s Army WhatsApp channel attracted 10.8 million followers in three weeks, according to media reports.

Piaui Governor Rafael Fonteles presented Lula with the Galaxy S26 Ultra in a video posted on X.

Lula had long avoided using mobile phones, and the reason he chose Samsung’s device as his first smartphone remains unclear.

Samsung Electronics launched the Galaxy S26 Ultra in February as its flagship smartphone.

Published Oct 28, 2026 6:11 pm KST

Updated Oct 28, 2026 6:16 pm KST

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stands next to his wife, Rosangela “Janja” da Silva, as supporters gather to celebrate his 81st birthday in Brasilia, Tuesday. Reuters-Yonhap

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S26 Ultras / Korea Times file

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 81, reportedly embraced Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S26 Ultra to step up his social media campaign and reach younger voters in his bid for a historic fourth term in office.

Lula, who had long avoided using mobile phones, received his first smartphone, a Galaxy S26 Ultra, after a setback in the first round of Brazil’s presidential election. He then turned to WhatsApp and other digital platforms to broaden his campaign’s online reach, according to media reports.

The Guardian and the BBC reported on Oct. 26 that Lula’s camp launched a WhatsApp channel called “Lula’s Army” after he lost the first-round vote on Oct. 4. The channel attracted 10.8 million followers in just three weeks.

A video posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Oct. 21 shows Rafael Fonteles, governor of the northeastern state of Piaui, presenting Lula with a box containing the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Lula pledged to join the “Lula’s Army” WhatsApp channel. At the end of the video, he held up the smartphone and described it as “the weapon of our army.”

The Galaxy S26 Ultra, launched in February, is Samsung Electronics’ flagship smartphone. It remains unclear why Lula chose the Samsung device as his first smartphone.

巴西总统路易斯·伊纳西奥·卢拉·达席尔瓦在巴西总统选举首轮投票失利后，利用三星Galaxy S26 Ultra手机扩大了其社交媒体竞选活动。10月4日投票结束后，他的竞选团队开通了“卢拉军团”WhatsApp频道，卢拉本人也承诺加入。在10月21日发布于X平台的一段视频中，他称这款手机为“我们军队的武器”。

据媒体报道，卢拉军团的WhatsApp频道在三周内吸引了1080万粉丝。

皮奥伊州州长拉斐尔·丰特莱斯在 X 上发布的一段视频中向卢拉赠送了 Galaxy S26 Ultra。

卢拉一直避免使用手机，他选择三星手机作为他的第一部智能手机的原因至今仍不清楚。

三星电子于2月份推出了Galaxy S26 Ultra，作为其旗舰智能手机。

发布于2026年10月28日 下午6:11（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月28日 下午6:16（韩国标准时间）

周二，在巴西利亚，巴西总统路易斯·伊纳西奥·卢拉·达席尔瓦与妻子罗桑格拉·“扬加”·达席尔瓦并肩而立，支持者们聚集在一起庆祝他81岁生日。（路透社-韩联社）

三星电子Galaxy S26 Ultra / 韩国时报资料

据报道，81岁的巴西总统路易斯·伊纳西奥·卢拉·达席尔瓦采用了三星电子的Galaxy S26 Ultra手机，以加强其社交媒体宣传活动，并争取年轻选民的支持，从而实现其历史性的第四个总统任期。

长期以来一直避免使用手机的卢拉，在巴西总统选举第一轮投票失利后，才收到了他的第一部智能手机——三星Galaxy S26 Ultra。据媒体报道，之后他开始利用WhatsApp和其他数字平台来扩大其竞选活动的线上影响力。

《卫报》和英国广播公司 (BBC) 于 10 月 26 日报道，卢拉在 10 月 4 日首轮投票中落败后，其阵营开通了一个名为“卢拉军团”的 WhatsApp 频道。该频道在短短三周内就吸引了 1080 万粉丝。

10 月 21 日，在 X（前身为 Twitter）上发布的一段视频显示，东北部皮奥伊州州长拉斐尔·丰特莱斯向卢拉赠送了一个装有 Galaxy S26 Ultra 的盒子。

卢拉承诺加入“卢拉军团”WhatsApp群组。视频结尾，他举起智能手机，称其为“我们军队的武器”。

三星电子于今年2月发布了Galaxy S26 Ultra，这是其旗舰智能手机。目前尚不清楚卢拉为何选择这款三星手机作为他的第一部智能手机。