Politics · Brazil · 1 hr ago
Joice Hasselmann says she will vote for Lula and return to opposition
Former Brazilian lawmaker Joice Hasselmann says she will vote for Lula in the presidential run-off on Sunday, October 25.
Hasselmann supported Jair Bolsonaro’s 2018 campaign and later served as a prominent ally in Congress.
She says she changed her view after seeing Bolsonaro’s family and allies up close, and now sees the Bolsonaro movement as a threat to democracy.
In an interview, she also accused Bolsonaro of ordering her death over an attack that left her injured in her Brasília apartment in 2021.
Police ruled out the involvement of other people, concluding that her injuries resulted from a fall, possibly linked to a sleeping medication.
Hasselmann says her vote for Lula does not mean she supports his party’s programme.
She plans to oppose Lula within the democratic process after the election.
Joice Hasselmann said she will vote for Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil’s presidential runoff.
The former federal deputy said her choice was to defend democracy, despite her political differences with Lula and the Workers’ Party.
Hasselmann said she would return to opposition after the election, within the democratic process.
She described supporting Jair Bolsonaro in 2018 as a mistake and said she broke with his political movement during his first year in office.
Hasselmann also accused Bolsonaro of ordering attacks against her, while an investigation into her 2021 injuries ruled out the involvement of other people.
- Who
- Joice Hasselmann, a journalist and former federal deputy.
- What
- She said she will vote for Lula in the presidential runoff and return to opposition after the election.
- When
- She announced her decision on October 22, 2026. The runoff was scheduled for October 25.
- Where
- Brazil.
- Why
- She said she was voting to defend democracy and preserve the ability to debate and oppose the government.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Hasselmann supported Jair Bolsonaro and campaigned with him.
Hasselmann said a draft coup document already existed in Bolsonaro’s first year in office.
Hasselmann was found injured in her apartment in Brasília.
The Federal District Civil Police concluded her injuries were caused by a fall and ruled out the involvement of other people.
Hasselmann announced that she would vote for Lula in the runoff.
The runoff was scheduled for October 25, and Hasselmann said she would return to opposition on October 26.
- Candidate
- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
- Announced
- October 22, 2026
- Runoff
- October 25, 2026
- Earlier political role
- Hasselmann supported Bolsonaro in 2018
- Injuries
- Hasselmann was found injured in her Brasília apartment in July 2021
- Investigation
- Police ruled out the involvement of other people in her 2021 injuries
3 sources
What people are saying
Afinal, perder uma eleição, tudo bem. Perder a democracia, jamais.
Apesar de todo o meu histórico de enfrentamento ao PT, domingo, dia 25, eu, Joice Hasselmann, voto Lula. Sem medo.
Eu errei em ajudar, mas não poderia ficar de braços cruzados.
Mandou me matar