Lula's wife criticized for electoral campaign flop

A few days before the presidential ballot in Brazil, the majority front that supports the candidacy of the outgoing left-wing president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who emerged defeated in the first round against the right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro, is split.

A meeting of campaign coordinators in Brasilia was characterized by harsh criticism aimed at the communications department and the role of 'first lady' Janja da Silva.

In an interview on GloboNews' 'Estúdio i' program, former senator Kátia Abreu (responsible for strategy in the state of Tocantins) said that Lula's wife is occupying a greater space in the re-election campaign than vice-president Geraldo Alckmin.

During the first-round rallies, Janja - long criticized for her frequently indiscreet and over-the-top behavior - took on a leading role that created discomfort among part of the presidential campaign coordination team.

Her invectives against the former 'first lady' Michelle Bolsonaro and the conservative MP Nikolas Ferreira (whom she defined as a "shitty boy") turned out to be a boomerang: the wife of former president Jair Bolsonaro was elected to the Senate and Ferreira was confirmed in the Chamber, becoming the most voted MP in the history of Brazil.

The double debacle, however, did not discourage Janja, who, through a note from her staff, declared that she will continue to participate in her husband's re-election campaign.