Brazil: Lula's promise of 'meat for all' comes back to haunt him

A juicy cut of meat could stand in the way of Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and his aspirations to win a fourth term.

During the 2022 campaign, the veteran leftist leader promised to put "picanha" on Brazilians' plates, but that promise has come back to haunt him as the price of Brazilians' favorite cut of meat—a piece from the rear of the cow, covered by a layer of fat—continues to rise.

Lula's main rival in the October election, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of the jailed former President Jair Bolsonaro, takes pleasure in reminding Lula that he failed to keep his promise to provide meat for everyone.

"Since Lula didn't bring the picanha, I brought some here today," the 45-year-old conservative recently announced during a campaign event where he served plates of grilled meat.

Picanha is a relatively expensive cut of meat in Brazil, the world's largest exporter of beef, where weekends are often spent barbecuing with family and friends.

Its price, AFP noted, ranges from 36 to 50 reais (between $7 and $10) per pound.

"When you eat picanha, you're eating like the rich," said Mirne Franco, the owner of a butcher shop on the outskirts of the Brazilian capital.

"No changes"

Lula, who served two terms in office between 2003 and 2010, staged a surprising comeback following a corruption scandal that landed him in prison and won a third term in 2022 as the working class's trusted candidate.

"The people will eat picanha again!" he declared during one of his regular campaign rallies.

However, nearly four years later, that cut of meat costs nearly 10% more, according to data from Brazil's statistics agency.