Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva suggested on Friday that he will stand for re-election in 2026, but stopped short of making a formal announcement.

"Get ready. If everything goes the way I am thinking, this country will, for the first time, have a president elected four times by the Brazilian people," Lula told an event in Rio de Janeiro.

The 79-year-old leftist leader was elected in 2022 for his third non-consecutive term, after having previously served as president between 2003 and 2010.

Lula's remarks come ahead of Brazil's next major election in October 2026, when voters will select the president, vice president, members of the National Congress, governors, and other officials. (Reuters)