Lula vows to regulate digital platforms after fourth election win and build a Brazilian AI independent of U.S. and China

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva used his victory speech after winning a fourth presidential term to pledge tighter regulation of digital platforms, greater technological sovereignty and a government for all Brazilians.

Lula said Brazil had faced foreign interference during the election through digital platforms and argued that online crimes should be treated the same as crimes committed offline. He accused large technology companies of earning billions in Brazil while paying insufficient taxes and attempting to influence election outcomes.

“This was an election in which we had to overcome interference coming from outside the country through digital platforms, which we will have to regulate,” Lula said. He did not identify specific companies responsible for the alleged election interference.

Lula also promised to expand Brazil’s capabilities in artificial intelligence, mathematics and engineering. “I don’t want to remain dependent on Chinese or American artificial intelligence. I want to create a Brazilian one,” he said.

He called for more data centers to be built in Brazil so Brazilian information could be stored domestically, saying companies operating such facilities should reserve part of their capacity for national data. Brazil already has policies aimed at expanding domestic data-center infrastructure and AI development.

Reflecting on his victory, Lula said he was proud to be a former metalworker without a university degree who had now been democratically elected president four times. He said he would not seek another term and promised to make his next administration “the best presidential term in the history of this country.”

Lula also attacked defeated rival Flávio Bolsonaro, describing him as a representative of Brazil’s “militia culture” and accusing him of repeatedly lying during the campaign.

“Once we win the elections, we no longer have adversaries,” Lula said. “I have to govern for 215 million people.”

He also stressed Brazil’s independence in foreign affairs, declaring: “This country does not accept being anybody’s backyard.”