: One is a 67-year-old who has been in and out of hospital over the past four years for gastric problems. The other is a 76-year-old ex-smoker and cancer survivor.are bending over backwards to project an image of youthful energy as the grueling campaign for Brazil's October 30 presidential runoff election enters the home stretch.
A scroll through the candidates' social media accounts betrays their campaigns' concern, with numerous pictures and videos of the rivals -- both grandfathers -- looking vigorous as they straddle horses, a bull, jet skis and motorcycles or hit a punching bag, lift weights, play the drums and pose in a Speedo-style swimsuit .The age issue is most sensitive for Lula, who turns 77 three days before the runoff.
Lula, who smoked for five decades before quitting in 2010, was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx in 2011. “I’m going to have to stop talking a month to recover,“ jokes the twice-widowed former president, who married 56-year-old Rosangela “Janja” da Silva in May.“Lula is physically and psychologically weaker by the day,“ center-left rival Ciro Gomes posted online in August ahead of the October 2 first-round vote, in which he placed fourth, behind Lula and Bolsonaro .Bolsonaro backers have been particularly virulent online questioning the ex-president's health.
The ex-army captain, who was stabbed in the abdomen at a rally during the 2018 campaign that won him the presidency, has had recurring problems ever since.